


Crimson Sun

by TwoRefined



Category: Left 4 Dead (Video Games), Team Fortress 2
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Childhood Trauma, Cliffhangers, Crossover, Dialogue Heavy, End of the World, Explicit Sexual Content, Father Figures, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Bad At Titles, I'm Sorry, Inconsistent Accents, Infected Characters, Inspired by Roleplay/Roleplay Adaptation, M/M, Major Character Injury, Mental Instability, Past Rape/Non-con, Psychological Trauma, Slow Burn, Unhealthy Relationships, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2020-09-01 18:26:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 51
Words: 111,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20262535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwoRefined/pseuds/TwoRefined
Summary: When the Green Flu breaks out across the battlefields of the United States during RED and BLU's daily struggles for land, a RED Soldier and BLU Spy must team up with a tiny, fractioned group of many former fighters in a desperate struggle to live. Can they manage to heal each other's emotional wounds along the way to humanity's last bastion for survival?





	1. Leap of Faith

**Author's Note:**

> Another TF2-Chan relic come to the big stage, and a long one, at that. This was formerly an RP between myself and a user named Izzy. Unfortunately, it was never finished, so think twice before getting seriously invested in some of these characters. The main, implied pairing actually never happens in the RP itself, and to make up for it, we instead just have a side couple bang relentlessly for a while because it frustrated us to experience, too. 
> 
> It's also worth noting that there were some creative differences in a few places. I actually got a bit unfairly annoyed with one of Izzy's muses at one point, and that frustration clearly leaked into the plot in a really passive aggressive way. (I'll let you guys know when that happens.) I really regret that, but I'd like to think I've grown quite a lot as a role-player and writer since then.
> 
> The L4D zombies are all included from both 1 and 2, but none of the survivors because we didn't get to them yet. It's also important to note that, similar to The Walking Dead, this series has events that are kind of influenced by zombies, but isn't entirely focused on them. More how interpersonal relationships are affected when the world is ending. Perhaps one day I might make a mock-up of how I saw it concluding eventually, but I wouldn't get too attached to that idea, either. 
> 
> Sorry in advance if the pacing is off or formatting is wonky. This is mostly just spit-shined directly from the Steam IMs we rped it on lol. Hope you enjoy!

More of them. _More of those fucking bastards._ Soldier wiped the blood from his forehead, hissing with quiet rage as he reloaded his shotgun, and continued peeking around the corner. It was nearly night, there was still no sign of a safe house anywhere near. He was running low on ammo, and on strength. Nothing he'd ever faced in Europe could have faced him for this.

Infected roamed the streets, groaning and clutching their heads. They still hadn't sensed him, but he was sure that, once they did, he'd be swarmed. He didn't see how he could face all of the little bastards on his own and survive, but he'd never backed down from a challenge before, and staying where he was was just as likely to get him killed.

He mapped out where he'd be headed again - he still had the sun to follow, and that was good. Sun at his back. Going east. He'd have to dash across a few streets and cut through the park. Hopefully there'd be a notice of a safehouse near by then.

The next few minutes were a valiant struggle of shotgun blasts, deadly swipes from his shovel, pain, and blood.

-

Italian heels clicked on the pavement as Spy ran from a horde of infected, heading from the opposite direction. The sun started to get in his eyes, so he headed for the park. The trees would provide some cover, and it was a large park. He might be able to lose this pack of monsters. Crimson, dripping from his pant leg and the left sleeve of his jacket, began to stain dirt rather than concrete, as he ran through the brick gate, into the park, firing shots of his revolver over his wounded shoulder. Nearly all of them were perfect head shots, but there were at least a dozen of those things chasing him. He’d never be able to kill them all. He wasn’t even sure if he could outrun them.

Up and down grassy hill, and through the occasional pricker bush, Spy found himself no closer to losing the horde than he had been ten minutes ago. Worse yet, he was getting very tired. His breaths came quick and labored as he reloaded the gun, quickly firing and taking out three more of those monsters. But there were still so many chasing him.

About five seconds after he’d started to contemplate just stopping and letting them devour his flesh, the Frenchman spotted a tall tree with low branches. In his youth, he’d climbed many trees like it, but it seemed so juvenile now. Well, desperate times and all that. Quickly, he scaled the branches, and was soon sitting a good thirty feet above his pursuers, who apparently were not quite as good as climbing.  
Finally able to catch his breath, Spy began shooting the creatures again. He managed to take out another five, before he realized the horrible truth.

He was out of bullets.

-

Soldier felt so heavy. The motions of him cocking and reloading his shotgun were sloppy sluggish as he struggled to grasp the tiny shotgun shells in his large, sweating fingers. His dog tags jingled softly in his pocket as he ran, shooting into the crowd behind them. Fuck, he didn't have enough bullets. Not in a million years.

A bloodthirsty female infected leapt for his throat. He knocked her away with the butt of his gun and blasted her through the chest, growling as warm blood splattered all over his arms and torso. He shoved her away and lodged the blade of Shovel into the base of another monster's neck, severing bone.

_Retreat. Retreat!_

Where could he go? His back bumped against a large tree. He felt cornered. He blasted the damn things several more times until he didn't have anything left to shoot, then let shovel do the rest of the work.

_So tired..._

Just when he thought he was almost done with the swarm of infected, another horde closed in from behind him. A startled cry as one zombie bit into his shoulder. He beat the stupid thing off and cracked its skull. Where had these all come from?!

-

Spy got lucky. A few of the creatures heard the shots fired several yards away, and thought it would be an easier meal than the skinny Frenchman in the tree. Unluckily, this meant fewer uncoordinated monsters scrambling over each other to get up to him. Snarling and drooling, they began to climb. Spy looked around in terror for an escape route. The only way was to either jump to the ground and risk running, or jump to the tree adjacent to him, and risk breaking his legs in an even bigger fall. Either way, he’d probably die, so what had he to lose?

Inhaling deeply, as one of the female monsters crawled her way towards him, nearly grasping his pant leg now, Spy jumped.

He made it. For a brief moment, he celebrated, laughing at the monsters.

And then they started to jump after him. Most fell to the ground, making a sickening SPLAT sound. A few had managed to cling to the branches, and were quickly making their way toward him again. “_OH, LACHE-MOI LA GRAPPE!_” He cried out, trying the same maneuver to the next tree. He made it again, but his pursuers would not give up.

-

Soldier heard something. Sounded like words. Actual words - not that horrid, demonic gurgling. Someone else was alive! It took every manly bone in his body not to cry with fucking joy.

He cracked another infected's skull in and began dashing off as quickly as he could. "HELP!!!" he screamed. "IS SOMEONE THERE?! I NEED HELP!!!" Shovel found itself buried, handle-deep into another zombie's midsection.

Spy froze, as he clung to the branch. A near-bite from a falling infected caused him to snap out of it, and make his jump to the next tree, but there was no denying it. For the first time in what felt like forever, he heard another human’s voice. Someone else was alive. And they needed help.  
“SO DO I! WHERE ARE YOU?!” He called back, slipping through the branches to the other side of the tree, making another jump.

Soldier bristled. That was NOT an American accent! Wait - no - this wasn't the time. Pushing his nagging discomfort out of his mind, he swiped at another zombie and screamed, "Near the west gate! I'll try to get to you!"

Spy’s hand was bitten as he slipped through another tree, but he managed to shake off the attacker, and knock him to the ground. “ ‘URRY!” He called out, his voice echoing over the hills that lay between them.

Another jump, just barely made, and Spy stopped dead in his tracks. He was out of trees. He was in an oak, at least forty feet above the ground, and he had nowhere to go but either down, or up. Fight or flight kicked in tenfold, and he began to climb, leaving blood on the branches behind.

When Soldier finally got to the clearing, his nostrils flared. Of course, it had to be a fucking BLU. A BLU SPY, at that! But it was someone. "HOLD ON, FRENCHIE!" he hollered, dashing up to the thin man. He held off the zombies with his shovel, shotgun strapped to his back.

He was only in his standard dark RED slacks, T-shirt, and had his dog tags stashed in his pocket so that they wouldn't jingle and alert idling infected as to where he was.

“ ‘ELLLLP!” Spy cried out when he saw the man below. The three remaining zombies in the tree – who luckily hadn’t seen the RED yet –were quite literally snapping at his heels, and he was quickly running out of oak. Well past sixty feet above the ground now, the branches started to thin, and break when he put any weight on them. “_Oh mon dieu, m’sauverez…_” He prayed, falling a good eight feet when the branches beneath him broke. The zombies were right after him of course, and it looked like Spy would be a goner.

"HOW THE FUCK DO I HELP YOU WHEN YOU'RE _ALL THE WAY UP THERE?!"_ Soldier hollered out of sheer frustration.

“SHOOT ZHEM!” Spy hollered back, screaming when his wounded shoulder was made worse by a rather large chomp. He elbowed the creature, but it wouldn’t come off. “ ‘ELP ME!” He sobbed, both from the pain and the fear.

"I'D LOVE TO - _IF I HAD ANYTHING TO SHOOT 'EM WITH!"_ Soldier screamed back, hacking into another Zombie's neck.

“WELL ZHEN JUST FUCKING _CATCH ME!”_ Spy screamed, finally wrestling away from the creature’s jaw, and quickly fell through the thin branches towards the ground.

Soldier dove for him and caught him roughly, with a grunt of exertion. He nearly collapsed - if he'd been well fed and rested, it wouldn't be much of a problem, but he was nearly too tired to lift shovel again.

He scowled. "Great fucking idea, Frenchie. Now what?"

Spy just panted, weakly clinging to the other man, dripping blood all over his clothes. “…run…or die…” He replied, staring at the small horde that still surrounded them.

Soldier grunted, glancing around with the useless hunk of French puss in his arms. "Hold on, Crouton. This is gonna be a bumpy ride," he growled. He clutched Spy close, then barreled through the screeching infected as best as he could.

The Frenchman clung as tightly as he could to the man carrying him, and shut his eyes just as tight. If they were going to die, he didn’t want to see it. Under his breath, he began praying in French again. “_Notre Père, qui êtes aux cieux, Que votre nom soit sanctifié…_”

Soldier made it - somehow - but he was stumbling and dizzy from blood loss, with the horde still at his heels. "Quit it with that demon chantin' French shit, and help me!" he snapped. "Do you see any indications for a safehouse around here? Look for drawins."

“Drawings of what? What zhe fuck is a safe’ouse?” Spy glanced nervously over the other man’s shoulder at the creatures still bent on chasing them.

"DRAWINGS OF A HOUSE WITH A CROSS, YA NUMBNUT!!! HURRY!"

“You mean a church?” Spy spat. “Zhere’s one to zhe west of ‘ere, but it’s nozhing but- LOOK OUT!” Something flew out of the air, leapt on Soldier’s back, and knocked the two of them to the ground. Snarling, the Hunter crawled its way over to the bloodier prey -- the Spy.

Soldier growled, and grabbed for his shotgun. He'd forgotten there was no ammo for a moment, but was fine with beating the snarling creature on the head with the butt of his gun for the meanwhile. He dragged Spy back up, shaking. Glanced around. There was a picture of a safe house pointing to a church. He cradled Spy to him and began blindly dashing for the building once more. He couldn't take another attack. His body would fail him - he knew it.

Just as exhausted, and likely as scared as the man carrying him, Spy just closed his eyes, and hoped they reached this ‘safehouse’ or whatever it was before something worse came at them. With the last bit of strength in him, he began to quietly recite the Lord’s Prayer in French again, weakly still holding onto the Soldier with bloody hands.

When they finally made it to the heavily armored, metal doors, Soldier had to struggle a moment to open it, as the horde closed in. He finally pulled it open and dashed inside, closing it and locking it behind them, and sighing as fell to the ground. He smelled heavily of blood, sweat, and dust - he'd been on the run for a long time.

Spy had been on the run for a comparatively short amount of time, but he still smelled of the same stenches, only there was a lot more of the smell of blood on him than dust. He laid there on the floor beside the Soldier, still half-held by him, and just sat there, quietly muttering prayers under his breath.

Soldier shook, huffing. He needed to patrol the safe house - make sure it still had food, some sort of water supply - something to clean off with and medical supplies... But he was just too tired.... Couldn't.... stay... _awake..._

“…délivrez-nous du mal. Ainsi soit-il. Amen.” Spy finished his muttering, and was silent for a moment as he looked up at the Soldier. “…are we safe?” He whispered.

A low rumble of laughter sounded from elsewhere in the room. "Ve vill see, tiny man." A huge figure towered above them.

Spy jumped, and clung to the Soldier with his wounded hand, quickly drawing out his knife with his right. “Where are you? ‘oo are you? Are you one of zhem?”

A hearty laugh. "Da, I am vun of monsters. _Grrr._" The figure stepped forward, revealing a huge, bald man with a BLU vest on and an amused smile.

“You’re…you are BLU.” Spy slowly let the knife drop, and it clinked gently against the floor. “ ‘ave you seen any ozhers? A Sniper, a Scout, per’aps?” His own team (what little was left) had set out, weeks earlier, in hopes of finding rescue. Only himself and the Engineer were left behind. The Texan, two weeks in, ended up taking his own life, leaving Spy completely alone. Until now, that is.

Heavy shook his head. "I have seen many people coming here, but none who fought before..." He waved his hand at the door where the infected were clawing at the door and shrieking with anger. "... All dis. You have been only BLU and RED I have seen."

If Soldier heard the man, he didn't show it. He was probably asleep after all of his efforts.

“Oh…” Spy looked down at the floor, disappointed. His head slumped further once he realized how tired and dizzy he was. The adrenaline rush from earlier was quickly wearing off, and within seconds, he found himself practically face-down on the floor by the Soldier, slowly bleeding out.

Heavy gingerly took the two in his arms. "Rest now. I vill take care of you, yes? Not much medicine is left, but enough for you two."

Spy nodded, and let the larger man carry him. He’d barely gone three steps before the Frenchman was out like a light.


	2. A New Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spy awakens from his slumber and has an enlightening chat with the BLU Heavy that saved both him and the Soldier he bumped into hours earlier.

It was several hours before the horde calmed down again and wandered off, grumbling venomously at each other. Heavy had already cleaned both of the men, dressed their wounds, and let them sleep on the ragged mattress he'd pulled out of the basement of the small church. After another quick patrol to make sure there were no ways the infected could sneak in, he went back to sitting in the sanctuary, reading a Bible he'd found under a seat. Nothing better to do.

Spy woke up next to a less-sweaty Soldier, but it was still no less an unpleasant sight to wake up to. He felt over his shoulder, and hand. There were fresh bandages, and there seemed to be one on his leg too. Slowly, he dragged himself out of bed, and spent the next ten minutes staggering around the church in search of their savior. “Allo?” He called out, tentatively, wincing when it echoed. “Where are you? Allo?”

"Avake already, Spy?" Heavy asked, looking up from his book. "You should lay down. That vas much blood lost."

Limping forward, and ghastly pale with dark circles under his eyes, Spy looked not too far off from the creatures that had been chasing them earlier. “I wanted to zhank you.” He replied, leaning heavily on the pew where Heavy sat. _“…zhank you.”_

Heavy waved him off. "In these times, help comes free."

“Well…zhank you, anyway.” Spy leaned on the pew a little more, practically laying down on the arm of it with his uninjured shoulder. “Wizhout you, I would likely be dead in a doorway…” He sighed, looking at the hideous carpet on the floor. “I should zhank zhe Soldier when ‘e wakes up, as well. I’ve been saved a lot today. If it is still day.” He shrugged. He couldn’t tell past the boarded up windows if the sun or moon was out right now.

Heavy checked the still-ticking grandfather clock by the wall. "Is almost sunrise." He paused. "Sometimes I miss little things. Walking. Fighting - for fun and pay, not survival. My team."

“I miss my team, too.” Spy mumbled into the wooden pew. “I ‘ated zhem all before zhis…mess, but when zhey were gone, I…” He stopped, unable to finish without his voice breaking. Painfully, he swallowed back the tears with a loud gulp.

Heavy nodded quietly. "It was our Spy who was first to die. And Pyro who first... _changed._ He vould not use flamethrower anymore. Then, later killed and ate Doktor. He was still human. But changed in different way."

Spy gulped again, and covered his mouth. “Please stop.” He gagged, feeling the sick sense of bile rising in his throat.

"... Sorry." A sigh as Heavy scratched his stubbly chin. "I just... cannot understand."

“Understand what?” Spy looked up at him with bleary eyes, still putting all of his weight on the bench.

"How something like that happens to brain. Doktor was friend."

“It is like…some sort of disease, it seems like.” Spy slowly limped his way into the pew, to sit by the large Russian man. “Zhe Engineer zhought…” he trailed off again, biting his lip to stave off the tears.

"Yes?" Heavy rubbed the younger man's back.

Spy just shook his head, and stared at the floor, eyes getting wetter by the second.

Heavy nodded, and allowed the man to sit in silence. "... Is not fair..." is all he murmured.

The Frenchman hiccupped, and leaned forward in the seat. His forehead touched the back of the pew in front of him, and he wrapped his uninjured arm around himself, still trying not to cry.

Heavy held him close, then sighed. "If you vant to talk, I am alvays around."

Spy nodded, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall. “…but for ‘ow long?” He whispered.

Heavy shrugged and smiled uneasily. "I am.... hard to kill."

He sniffled, and looked back at the Russian. “…good. Zhat’s good.” He paused, and looked back down at the floor. “…can I stay ‘ere, zhen?”

"I do not stay in one place very long," Heavy replied softly.

“Oh…I see…” Spy just stared at the carpet. It was clear the Russian didn’t want him around. Still wobbly, he stood, and limped out of the pew. “I…I will be gone by nightfall, zhen. Zhank you for your ‘elp.” Slowly, he began staggering his way out of the sanctuary.

"Spy!" the Russian called out, blinking. "Is not from you! Ve must travel to look for food and permanent safe place."

“I’m not zhe carrier, you know. No matter what zhey said, I knew it wasn’t me.” Spy turned back, completely disregarding all that the Russian said, tears starting to stream down his cheeks now. “It wasn’t. I’m immune, like zhe rest, but it doesn’t mean I caused it. It doesn’t make it my fault!”

He hiccupped again, chest heaving as he tried to inhale without making a wholly undignified noise. “It’s not my fault zhey got sick!” He shook his head, seemingly delirious now, from the blood loss most likely.

"Carrier?" Heavy blinked and stood up. "What is? Who says you did this?" Where was this even coming from?

“Zhe Soldier, and zhe Demo.” He hiccupped again, stumbling, and falling against a nearby tabernacle. He leaned against the wall to support himself. “Zhey zhrew me to zhem- zhe creatures. Said zhey wouldn’t go after me, but zhey did. Oh, zhey did.” He laughed a little, hysterically, recalling the memory. “If it weren’t for our Medic, I’d be dead now. Two days later, ‘e got sick, too. Zhen we were in real trouble. Zhen everyone started leaving.” He sniffled again. “…no one would let me go wizh zhem.”

He stared, hard, at Heavy. “Do you know what zhat’s like? Zhe world is ending, and zhe only one ‘oo will tolerate your presence is one ‘oo is going to kill ‘imself anyway.” Spy hiccupped once more, and slid down the wall, onto his butt. “…I almost wish I’d done it too.” He stared down at the floor, vision beginning to spin everything together.

Heavy shrugged. "Is new beginning."

“ ‘aven’t you been outside?” Spy looked up at him, dumbfounded. “Zhis is zhe end. Zhat much is clear. Zhere are no more beginnings, my friend.”

"Maybe seems that way. But sick people outside will die, and there will be us left."

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but zhey don’t seem to want to die.” Spy held up his bandaged hand. “Whatever zhis disease is, it…it is more zhan just a sickness. It…changes zhem. Makes zhem…not ‘uman anymore. Don’t ask me what zhey are now – I don’t know, but…zhey aren’t ‘uman.”

"Maybe seems so, but I have been watching them," Heavy replied sternly. "When not chasing us, they are just very sick. They hold their heads and cry with pain. Some have seizures. Some even lay down and die without cause. They _are_ dying. They just do not _want_ to."

Spy looked up at the larger man, eyes still half-lidded in drowsiness. “…really?” He asked, seemingly shocked and perplexed. “I’ve…only ever seen zhem…like zhis.” He held up his bandaged hand again. “Never just…not chasing, you know?”

"Da, I do." A frown. "Is... Is sad. I want to help them, but best way is quick death. So they will not have to hurt anymore."

The Frenchman nodded, his head slumping forward further with each bob of his head. “I wonder if…if we will…become zhem…sick, like zhem…maybe it…maybe ozhers take more time?...”

"I try not to think about it."

Suddenly, their conversation was cut short by Soldier marching into the sanctuary, snarling.

"What are you two BLU maggots doing? Planning on how to kill me? Well you should have left me outside with the brainless mob and not taken care of my wounds and generally not rescued me at all, maggots! I'm going to be a lot harder to kill now!"

“Oh, it’s you.” Spy jerked his head towards the sound, and stared at Soldier with what little whites of his eyes remained past the slowly-closing lids. “…zhank you for saving me earlier.” His jaw was starting to go slack and his vision fuzzy, but he wanted to say that much at least.

Soldier snorted. "If I'd known how much goddamn trouble you'd be, I woulda left your pansy ass in that tree."

Heavy laughed, holding Spy close. "Well, I am glad you did not. More company and more comrades mean better survival, yes?"

"I ain't sure about our chances of survival with that one. Look at him! Can't even stay away for a post-mission briefing. Unacceptable!"

Spy merely snored in response.


	3. The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a squabble with the RED Soldier, Spy is told about his plan to journey to the Florida Keys for Humanity's last chance at salvation.

It was a few hours before Spy awoke again. Soldier and Heavy were still sitting in the sanctuary, sharing a jar of peanut butter. Spy was slightly off to the side with a blanket thrown around him to stave off the cold.

"Then it's agreed. For now, there will be a stalemate, but as soon as we make it, it's back to what we're best at." A grin.

"Yes, if there is respawn. Not likely, but nice to think about. We could still fight with fists, da?"

"GODDAMN IT, YOU BIG FUCKING COMMIE - _NOW YOU'RE SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE!_"

What woke Spy was a loud screech from outside. He jerked up from his place on the floor, wincing immediately when pain shot through his shoulder. Clutching at it, he darted his eyes around the church, unsure of the sound.

“Wh-what was zhat?!”

Soldier shrugged. "Whatever the fuck it was, it can't get to us now. Seriously, Frenchie - how did you even survive this long when you keep pissing yer pants at every little thing?"

“I ‘id.” Spy struggled to his feet, leaning heavily against the pew beside him. “ ‘ow did you survive so long wizh zhis attitude of yours?” He snapped back.

"Killing is in my blood, maggot. In my very SOUL. I would NOT let those brainless sons-of-bitches kill me, even if I had to die trying!"

Spy just stared at him, unsure of what in the hell to say to that. He turned his attention towards the Heavy, instead. “Do we ‘ave anyzhing to eat or drink?”

Heavy held the jar of peanut butter to the Frenchman. "This for eating. Also have beans. You want? Water to drink, but has been contaminated. I boil it first."

He looked at the offered jar for a long time, before he refused it. “I’d razher just ‘ave zhe water, zhank you.” He really was parched. All this running and nearly dying had left him quite thirsty.

Heavy nodded and handed the jar back to Soldier. "I will only be gone seconds."   
He disappeared, leaving Soldier to eat the peanut butter and glare suspiciously at Spy.

Spy felt uneasy at the gaze, and turned to pick up the fallen blanket. He wrapped it around himself carefully, and turned back to the man, to find him STILL staring at him. “What is your problem?” He hissed.

"What's your story, huh? You just hid out in your little Frenchbunker until a Hunter chased you up a tree, you wuss?"

“…a what?” Spy raised his eyebrow, confused.

"The jumping ones. With the sharp claws and weird screams. You probably haven't seen one, but I've killed dozens." Another snarl.

“Zhere are…ones zhat jump?” Still confused. “Wait, I zhink I remember. Zhe ting dat jumped on us before we got ‘ere, right? Zhat was a…what did you call it again?”

"A Hunter. That's what they're classified as."

“Classified? By ‘oo?”

Soldier paused. "Hell if I know! Other survivors, I think. All I know is that's what ya call 'em.”

“What about zhe rest? Zhe zhings zhat chase me and you. What are zhey? What makes zhem different from zhe…zhe ‘unter?” Spy circled around and sat in the pew beside Soldier, blanket still wrapped around his thin frame.

"They're commons. Common infected. They rely on numbers, but can't do much on their own. I've seen a Hunter take down a full grown man solo. Tackled him to the ground and ripped out 'is guts with its claws. I was too late by the time I got there with Shovel."

Spy swallowed hard, and looked away, face paling further.

"Hey." Soldier's voice was softer now, but just slightly. "You gotta get used to it. Things are different now. Ya gotta see these things, deal with 'em, and move on. You're a goddamn killer, not a pansy, ya hear?"

He merely nodded in response, but it didn’t make him feel any less sick. Whether it was from the cold, or the fear of their situation, Spy started to tremble.

Soldier sighed and gave up, muttering under his breath. He continued eating scoops of peanut butter one by one, practically groaning in pleasure from the taste.

Spy glanced over at him, still shivering slightly. “Is zhat…all we ‘ave? Peanut butter and beans?”

"What - you expect gourmet?!" Soldier snapped, angry again for whatever reason.

“No, but…” Spy turned away, frightened by the other man a little, and ashamed of asking the question. “ ‘ow are we supposed to survive on zhat?”

"It's got everything we need in it. Protein, vitamins, minerals, fat - the good stuff. Usually you don't even find this." Soldier was still muscular and stocky, but had obviously lost quite a lot of weight. He looked leaner and less robust now.

“Zhe ‘uman body cannot survive solely on peanut butter, monsieur…uh…” he paused, “What… do I call you, exactly?”

"Soldier's just fine. Just like in the good ol' days. And what do you know - you haven't even been fighting or traveling like I have, maggot!"

Spy just looked down at the floor again. He knew the other man was right. He’d just hid the whole time. But still… “It doesn’t mean I don’t know anyzhing. I know we need food. PROPER food.” He pointed at the jar. “And weapons, ammunition, water…” He trailed off, unable to remember the rest of his mental grocery list.

"We've got ammo and weapons and the big guy said he was bringing out water. You're just bitching and moaning because no one's here to spoon-feed you caviar anymore." Soldier growled. "Get this straight, Frenchy. The world has gone to HELL. Factories have shut down. Food delivery is next to impossible because the roads are blocked with abandoned cars and Infected. Fresh fruits and vegetables and all that hippy shit can't survive. you need non-perishables. You eat what you FIND. If you're gonna turn your nose up at everything that comes your way, then just starve to death. All I've heard you do is whimper like a bitch and complain about things WE CAN'T FUCKING CHANGE."

He slammed the jar on the pew angrily and stormed out, needing to take a breather, else he'd start throwing punches.

Spy just sat there, and curled himself into a ball on the pew. Damnit, he didn’t want to start crying again.

Heavy came back with the cooling water in some mugs. "I heard yelling. Everything is okay, yes?"

The Frenchman looked up, his eyes wet from the tears he refused to let fall, and just nodded. “Yes, everyzhing’s fine.” He accepted the mug, and just held it for a while. “Except for zhe ‘ole world being over and all zhat, but you know what I mean.”

"There is always hope. Soldier and I... We were talking. He has good plan. Better than I have. You want to hear?"

“I suppose.” Spy nodded, just staring down at the water, sipping at it every so often.

"There is rumor going around. Say stronghold of survivors is in Florida Keys. Infected cannot swim, and only way there is by boat. Soldier plans to make it there."

“A boat?” Spy balked. “We’re miles away from any water. And ‘ow exactly does ‘e expect to obtain a boat if ‘e even makes it to the water? ‘e’d be lucky to find a…canoe by now." He shook his head. "It won't work. We should just stay 'ere. Wait it out." Spy turned back to his water, and sipped at it, slowly.

"Solution is easy. We travel. We cannot stay here for very long anyway. Not enough food or supplies. Besides it is... rude to stay here and use all supplies and not leave any for other survivors. This is not our house. Simply is for resting. Not for staying."

“But travelling is…it is dangerous. I was only out zhere for a few hours and look what ‘appened to me!” Spy gestured at the bandages peeking out past his clothes. “I’m not going back out zhere again.” Another sip of his water. “Outside of ‘ere it’s death.”

"With more people, is easier. If you stay here, you will be alone," Heavy warned solemnly.

Spy looked away from him, and down at the floor again. He bit his lip, and looked every inch like he was about to cry again. “…I don’t want zhat,” he whispered, “but I don’t want to die, eizzher. Wizh my injuries, I know I cannot outrun zhose…zhings. Not again, and certainly not as far as zhe shore.”

"Yes, we still have long, long way to go. We will not leave so soon, though - do not worry. Just know that we WILL move. Not stay here. Yes?"

Spy neither nodded, nor shook his head. He merely handed the half-empty mug back to Heavy, and wrapped his arms around himself again. “Is zhere…somewhere I can lie down? I don’t feel well.”

"Come on. I take you back to mat." Heavy held the man up, supporting him as he took him back to the place he and Soldier had shared just hours before.

Spy laid down without saying a word, and curled up, the blanket wound tightly around him. He buried his face in the mattress, not sleeping, just…trying to get away from everything for a while.

That was when the faint sound of sobbing reached his ears from beyond the doors. 


	4. Crying Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BLU Spy has his first exposure to a Witch, and tensions flare between him and Soldier. But through the chaos, a hint at a new understanding seems to shine through.

The Frenchman kept his head buried in the mattress until his ears assured him that the sound he heard was not just some dream. He jerked his head up, and limped to the safe room doors, cautiously trying to peer outside. “ ‘ello? ‘ello?” He called out, then turned back to the interior of the church. “HEY! HEY, I zhink zhere’s anozher survivor! Come quickly!”

Heavy blinked, returning to the man. "Vhat vas that? Someone else?"

“Listen.” He replied, gesturing to the safe room door. The sound of soft cries were heard again. “It sounds like a young woman. We ‘ave to ‘elp ‘er! Quick, open zhe door!”

The big Russian bristled. "No," he replied.

“…what?” Spy looked shocked. “B-but she might be ‘urt! We ‘ave to help! She could be killed out zhere wizh all zhose zhings running about!”  
"She is... one of them."

“But she…but zhey…what?” Spy was utterly confused. “She...she can't be one zhem! Can't you 'ear 'er crying? Zhey don't...cry...do zhey?”

"Those do. Stay away. Are very, very powerful."

“I…I don’t understand.” Spy shook his head, weakly.

A pause. "Maybe one day, you will see. For now..." He helped the man up to his feet again. "I will show you little peek."

“Is it…safe?” He wobbled a little, and held onto the larger man’s arm to keep from falling.

"Yes. She cannot reach us through here. Doors are much too strong."

“Okay.” Spy nodded, still clinging to the other man tightly. His hands were trembling. “Show me.”

Heavy helped the tin man to his feet and led him to the door. There was a woman there - thin, half naked, and deathly pale. She was unblemished and almost seemed normal, if not for her long, thin clawed hands. Long, pale hair hung over her face like a curtain.

“Are…are you sure she’s one of zhem?” Spy whispered.

"Her hands. They are covered with blood, da? And the others... They ignore her.

Spy nodded, slowly backing away from the door. “Are zhere…ozhers like ‘er? Ozhers ‘oo seem…’uman?”

"Yes. These crying ladies.... Stay away from them. When they stop crying... You die." He pointed. "See her claws? They use. On you."

Spy gulped, and backs away further, trembling. “…okay, okay zhat’s enough. I’ve seen enough. Let’s just get away from ‘ere now, okay?” He sounded panicked, and even started to hyperventilate a little.

A nod. "Stay calm. She cannot get to us here."

There was a gasp from the woman on the ground. Her head whipped up, and Spy was met with her glowing red eyes.

Spy froze with fright. Still his breaths came quick and shallow. “Please don’t do it. Please…” He whispered, barely audible, but the tone clearly terrified, as his trembling, gloved fingers began to dig into Heavy’s arm.

A low growl as she began to stand up.

The bits of skin visible past his balaclava could not possibly have gone any whiter. “S’il vous plait….” He whimpered.

Heavy lead the man away quickly. "No more for tonight. Rest." He led him back to the mattress."

The growling grew softer, then finally stopped. Then, came the soft wailing again.

Still trembling, and whimpering softly, Spy laid down on the mattress. He covered his head with shaking hands, and shut his eyes tight, trying to block it all out.

Heavy laid beside the man. "Everything will be okay."

Spy just lay there, shaking like a leaf, and muttering to himself in French.

The soldier marched in, shotgun drawn. "I heard one of those cryin' girls. Where is she?"

Heavy shook his head. "NO. She is harmless outside. Leave her be, Soldier."

Upon the entry of the other man, Spy buried his face in the mattress again, ashamed of himself for being so scared. Still he trembled, though. He couldn’t help that.

Soldier ignored Heavy and went to the door. "There she is - that fuckin' white bitch... Eat lead, sweetheart!" There was a loud shot, and a horrible scream. Seconds later, she was at the door, howling in fury and trying to get to Soldier, claws outstretched.

Spy gasped, and watched the scene unfold, absolutely petrified. “You’re sure she can’t get in?” He looked to the Heavy, desperate and afraid.

Heavy muttered. "Doors are too strong. She cannot. But I do not like to kill them when there is no need. ."

"These ones - Witches - they will not attack you unless you attack first, stand too close, or shine lights in their eyes," Soldier muttered, reloading. "Thing is, they're too fucking dangerous to leave wandering around. She's gotta go." Another shot, and a shriek.

Spy covered his ears. “Stop it! You’re wasting ammunition like zhat! Just shoot ‘er in zhe ‘ead!”

"I am," he grunted. "Nother thing about Witches. They're a bitch to kill. Don't stop a fight with 'em that you can't damn well finish."

Shakily, Spy rose from the mattress and crossed to the door. “Zhey’re only a bitch to kill because you keep aiming so poorly. Give me zhat.” He held his hand out for the shotgun.

Soldier huffed, and handed it over. The witch hissed and swiped her claws again, trying to get the stockier man, still. Her face was dripping with blood, and bloody clumps of her hair had fallen around her thin shoulders.

Spy sidled over until he was in the Soldier’s place at the door (though far back enough that the witch couldn’t reach). He held the shotgun up, wincing a little when his wounded arm shifted, but aimed well, and fired. No more sound came from the Witch.

Soldier huffed. "Good. Now give it back. Nice to see ya DO got a spine, huh."

Spy handed the gun back, and limped back over to the mattress. “Don’t waste ammunition like zhat again. We might need it later.” Slowly, he laid back down, away from the Soldier, facing towards the Heavy.

"I DIDN'T WASTE IT, MAGGOT," Soldier snapped, snatching the gun back from him.

“ ‘ow many times did you fire zhat gun and not kill ‘er?” He still wouldn’t face the other man. He didn’t want him to see how pale he’d gone from the experience.

Soldier clenched his fists into tight balls, growling viciously. "THEY'RE NOT LIKE OTHER INFECTED!!! It takes more to kill them! I've killed at least three before - I know what I'm fucking talking about!"

“Zhey were ‘uman like zhe rest.” Spy spat, still facing away. “Zhat means zhey ‘ave zhe same limitations as ‘umans. Shoot zhem in zhe ‘ead, zhey die. Simple as zhat.”

Soldier took the man by the shoulders and shoved him to the ground. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR ATTITUDE YOU FUCKING--"

“WELL ZHAT MAKES TWO OF US!” Spy shouted back, trying to push the larger man off of him. “GET OFF ME! ZHAT ‘URTS!” The Soldier was pressing down, hard, on his wounded shoulder.

"I'VE FOUGHT HUNDREDS OF THESE FUCKERS BUT YOU SIT THERE ALL HIGH AND MIGHTY LIKE YOU'RE THE DAMN EXPERT!!! FUCK YOU!" Heavy tried to pull Soldier off, growling.

“GET OFF GET OFF!” Spy cried out, tears forming at the corners of his eyes from the pain. “Dégage! Dégage!” He whimpered, clawing weakly at the man atop him.

Heavy finally pulled the howling man off of Spy. "YOU'RE A LITTLE SHIT, YOU HEAR ME?! MAYBE IF YOU'D STOP FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF, YOU'D BE WORTH THE TROUBLE I SPENT RESCUING YOUR ASS!!!"

Sobbing, and exhausted, Spy rolled onto his side, clutching at his shoulder. Blood dripped from the bandage there, staining his shirt further. "What did I ever do to you?" He whimpered, finally looking at the other man.

Soldier huffed. "Coulda been anyone else who was immune, and you coulda been out there with the rest of 'em, dying and brainless. You got a chance at living you don't even fucking DESERVE! But all you do is sit there and whine and complain and cry like a GODDAMN SIX YEAR OLD! And you strut around all higher-than thou when this is you first time outdoors?! And I've been fighting these demons for DAYS, nonstop?!"

Spy sat there, looking every inch like a whipped dog. “…you’re right.” He replied, quietly, his tone flat and emotionless. “…you’re right.” He repeated, as he rose to his feet, and limped over to the door. “So go a’ead. Open it. Shove me out like I deserve, zhen.” He stared at the metal barrier between himself and death.

"..." Soldier scowled. "I don't want ya to DIE - I want you to get it fucking TOGETHER, already!"

“You said it yourself.” Spy glared at him, “I don’t deserve zhe chance at life I’ve been given. So go a’ead. Take it away.” He gestured, with his bandaged hand, at the door.

"So you're just gonna waste it?! That's even worse!"

Spy just stared at him. “…what zhe fuck do you want me to do, zhen?”

"Man up," Soldier growled. "You can DO this. And you WILL, as long as I'M around, cupcake!"

“……” Spy stared back at the door, and prodded the handle. “Exactly ‘ow do you open zhis zhing again?”

Soldier snatched him back. "... Don't do it," He commanded, voice wavering softly. He almost sounded as if he was... pleading...?

The Frenchman stared down at the hand that had grabbed him, and still held fast to his. Starting to understand, he looked back up at the Soldier. “I will stay on zhis side of zhe door only if you promise me some zhings.”

A grumble, then a soft, "What?"

“Treat me like I’m a ‘uman being, for one.” He listed off, “And listen to what I ‘ave to say. I ‘ave lived on zhe streets before. I am not entirely clueless as to ‘ow to survive, you know.” Some snarls from the other side of the door interrupted him, and he instinctively clutched at the hand nearest his. “Granted, circumstances are…different, but basic necessities remain zhe same. ‘ave we got a deal?”

"... Alright," Soldier muttered, folding his arms. He glared off to the side.

“Good.” Spy nodded, and then looked to the Heavy. “Are zhere any more of zhose medical sutures? I zhink a few of mine popped out, and I’d razher not bleed to death.”

A nod. "One moment." He disappeared.

Spy nodded, and sat back down on the mattress, still clutching his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't played L4D in a hot minute, but I believe you have to be standing in a very particular position to be able to Cr0wn a Witch. And if you miss that first important shot, once she's aggressive towards the player, she immediately becomes much harder to kill, taking several shotgun blasts to the face and anywhere else. So that's why Soldier's attempt at killing her didn't work right away despite him having fought Witches and living several times before.


	5. Fresh Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unlikely pair meet up with Heavy, Soldier, and Spy.

Awkward silence passed between Spy and the Soldier as they waited for Heavy to come back for the medical supplies. With nothing but a few ambient shrieks from outside to fill the time, Spy decided to speak up again. “It’s not a bad idea, you know. Zhe boat. You just need a more…solid plan to make it work.”

"All I know for now is that we gotta head east summore,” Soldier replied. “Til we reach the coast. Then we go south. I ain't got a map, though, so I have no clue how close we are to it. Came here from Arizona." Pride clearly shone on his weather beaten face.

“Arizona?” Spy’s eyes widened. “Zhat’s quite far from ‘ere, isn’t it?” They were stuck in a fairly large city in Louisiana, near the border with Mississippi, so the idea that the Soldier had travelled across several states to get here… “ ‘ow did you get ‘ere?”

"I told ya," the man snorted. "I walked, mostly. Found a car once with a workin' engine and gas, but the roads were blocked off a few miles in."

“You…walked?” Spy was shocked. “ ‘ow….’ow long as… ‘ave zhese…zhings been around? Zhose…creatures. ‘ow long did it take you to get ‘ere?”

"Bout a week and a half. But it's been around longer. Started out in, uh... Pennsylvania, I think it was. So it had time to spread."

“It feels like it’s been…so much longer.” Spy stared down at the floor, deep in thought. He jumped when one of the creatures shrieked from outside.

"You're tellin' me." A pause, then Soldier sighed and sat on the floor. "When did you guys find out about this, huh?"

“I don’t even remember.” Spy shook his head, chuckling in an embarrassed way. “Everyzhing… so much ‘as ‘appened between now and zhen, I can’t even-“ Another shriek, and he flinched again.

Soldier motioned him over to come sit. "Ey... Sorry about all this, alright? I... I'm just.... tired. I want this to be over with. For good. It's hard ignoring the part in me that just wants to give up... Harder when the first real, talkin person you've seen in days is saying the exact same things as that part of ya you’re trying to avoid..." A pause. "I don't wanna give up. _I don't wanna let them win._"

Spy stood, limped over slowly to where the Soldier sat, and sat beside him. “I don’t eizher.” He squeezed the Soldier’s shoulder with his unbandaged hand. “It’s ‘ard, zhough, I know. So many people around dying -- some from zhe sickness, some from zhe creatures, some…some by zheir own ‘and. I know ‘ow it feels to look at zhem and zhink _‘Well, zhat doesn’t look all zhat bad, being dead. Maybe I’ll join zhem’._ But we can’t give up. We ‘ave to go on.” Another shriek. Another flinch. “… I don’t know why, but we just…we ‘ave to.”

Soldier nodded, and looked up. "What the hell is that noise?" The infected made sounds all the time, but three loud shrieks in a row? It might have been an indication that a survivor was out and about.

“One of zhem, I guess.” Spy replied with a shrug. He still trembled a little. Then gunshots were heard and he looked up, too. “D-did…did you ‘ear zhat?”

Soldier grabbed his shotgun from the floor and bolted to his feet. "SURVIVORS!" he hollered. "Go tell Heavy when he gets back! I'm gonna go try to help 'em!"

“WHAT?!” Spy scrambled up, resting his weight on the wall. “You can’t go out zhere! You’ll be killed!” He grabbed onto the other man’s arm, to try and hold him back. “ ‘EAVY! GET OUT ‘ERE, NOW!”

"I CAN'T LEAVE 'EM!!!" Soldier tore himself away, and barged through the door, making sure to close it behind himself.

“Oh merde…oh mon dieu…” Spy crawled along the wall, away from the door, absolutely dumbstruck and terrified. “… ‘EAVY!” He cried out for the larger man.

Outside, Soldier was presented with a medium-sized horde of infected, only meters away from the safehouse. In the center of the onslaught were two men- one younger, one older. The junior was swearing profusely, and swinging at the attackers with a baseball bat, while shooting at them with a sawed-off shotgun with his free hand. Behind him, the older man, his neck bleeding, swung at the creatures with a large knife. “BLOODY ‘ELL! WHERE TH’FUCK IS THAT SAFE ‘OUSE?!” He cried out, kicking one of the infected away with his long legs.

Heavy rushed back, ready to force apart another fight. Instead, he found that Soldier was gone, and Spy was totally terrified. "Wh...Where is loud, yelling Soldier?!"

Soldier decided this was a job for Shovel. He began hacking at the monsters with his blade, yelling and trying to get the duo's attention. "OVER HERE, MAGGOTS!!!"

“HOLY FUCK!” The younger of the two jumped up and saw the other man. “PEOPLE! LIKE FUCKING ALIVE PEOPLE!” He began beating his way through the crowd. “COME ON!” The older man followed him, hacking away with his blade at anything that came near.

“…‘e…’e went out. Said zhere were survivors.” Underneath the mask, Spy had gone even paler, and looked about ready to fall over. “ ‘e’s going to be killed…what do we do?”

"YOU rest! I will go find! Be still!" Heavy grabbed his shotgun as well, and rushed outside.

"OVER HERE, MEN! We have shelter!" Soldier cried, trying to lead them through the crowd of screaming infected.

"SOLDIER!!!" Heavy barked, shooting his way through the crowd. "You should be RESTING!" He paused, catching sight of the other survivors.

“WOOHOO!” The young Scout jumped in the air, smashing the skull of an infected, and bounding over several others, firing shots as he went. He landed by the Heavy, panting, and firing into the crowd, to help his friend, who was still surrounded by the ravenous creatures. The older of the two hacked wildly at them, and kicked several away, but they still managed to scratch and bite at him, leaving rather bad wounds.

“NEED SOME HELP HERE!” he called out, still hacking away at the diseased, pulsating wall of flesh around him.

Inside, Spy was limping around as quickly as he could, in search of ammunition for his revolver.

Scout grabbed the older man by the hand and dragged him away, batting in skulls as he went. "C'MON, YA OLD FART - WE AIN'T DEAD YET! JUST A LITTLE MORE!!!"

"This way!" Soldier hollered, motioning them over. More infected began flooding the streets.

From behind the door, Spy fired out the slots, taking down five of the infected within a minute. He reloaded, and took out some more. Mentally, he was terrified, and screaming, but his hands remained steady as he helped to decimate the horde.

The door swung open. "BACK AWAY, SPY -- NEWCOMERS!!!"

Spy quickly limped to the side, still firing into the crowd of infected.

Heavy staved off the rest of the horde as Soldier and the two new-comers entered.

The junior immediately plopped down on the mattress, laughing and whooping over their victory. “MAN! That was fucking INTENSE!”

The elder leaned against the wall, panting, and bleeding, and much less amused by the event than his partner.

Soldier stumbled away, panting harshly with blood dripping down his arms again. He'd torn something while swinging around Shovel. Figured.

Heavy shut the door against the shrieking horde of fiends, and blocked it with a shelf, grunting. They went away faster if they couldn't see in. He turned to look at his injured new comrade and his freshly-injured old ones, and sighed. "Take seat. I will get to you shortly."

Spy stood there, watching the scene, and just backed into a corner, trembling. His hands still held tight to his revolver.

The RED Sniper took his place next to his teammate on the mattress, and awaited Heavy’s return. “Bloody hell.” He looked down at himself- at the wounds crossing down his arms and legs. “Fucking pikers.”

Heavy handed Sniper some medical supplies. "Here. To help you for now while I take care of other two. You know how to use, yes?" he asked softly.

“Yeah, mate. Thanks.” He nodded, and started smearing the antiseptic cream along his arms before applying the gauze to the messier wounds.

Soldier huffed, shaking his head when Heavy came near. "Not a chance, Ruski. Go help Spy first. He needs you more n' I do."

Aforementioned man just stood there, trembling slightly, staring at the two on the mattress. They looked so much like the ones from his team, and yet…they weren’t them.

The Sniper looked up at the staring man, and asked Soldier, "He alroight, then?"  
“Yeah, what the fuck’s he staring at?” His partner chimed in.

Soldier growled at them. "Leave him be, you pack of frilly ballerinas! He's hurt and in shock, and he doesn't need YOU gapin' at him!"

Heavy patted Soldier's shoulder. "Rest, angry man. You are hurt, too."

"Quit talkin' about me and help HIM, god damn it!" Soldier thrust Spy into Heavy's arms, and marched off, head held high, even as he left a thin trail of crimson behind.

Spy just flopped forward in the Russian’s arms, limp as a ragdoll. His gun clattered to the ground.

“The fuck’s wrong with him?” Scout asked again, reclining on the mattress.

Heavy sighed. LOUDLY. "Please, quiet. Must concentrate. I will help you soon as possible."

“Awright, awright, jeez!” Scout rolled his eyes, and elbowed the Sniper. “Nice pick on the safe house, roo fucker. Full of weirdoes.”

Heavy cut Scout a glare that could melt the testicles off of a raging Tank. Scout huffed as if he didn’t care and discreetly sidled behind his older comrade.

In Heavy’s arms, Spy just whimpered softly, coming back into himself. “I am fine.” He whispered. “You can…let me go, now.” Still he didn’t stand back on his own feet just set. All of his weight was on the Russian.

"Shhhhh..." Heavy scolded lightly, lying him down as he prepared to operate as best as he knew how. "Be still - will only take a few moments."

“You gotta do that right here, man? Jesus!” Scout flinched, and looked away from the scene. “Ain’t there somewhere else you can cut him open or whatever? I don’t wanna see that shit!”

"Need any help, mate?" Sniper crossed, and stood behind Heavy.

Heavy nodded. "Yes. My fingers are too... eh... big for tiny needle and thread. Do you stitch?"

“I do.” He knelt beside him, and threaded the needle. “Got anythin’ t’sterilize it with?”

Heavy searched around, and found a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

Sniper used it to sterilize the needle, and pulled back Spy’s bloody shirt. “Bloody hell, mate. Those buggers did a number on you, aye?” Spy merely stared up at him, half out of it.

“No, seriously!” Scout still protested in the background. “Ya really gotta do this here?”

"Little Red," Heavy warned, "I asked nicely for quiet last time. Next time, will not be so nice. If you do not like, YOU go somewhere else."

Scout frowned. “Fine, I’ll go see what that other guy’s up to, then.” He shuffled out of the room, leaving the three alone on the floor.

Spy whimpered, and flinched when the needle first went in. “Easy, mate, easy.” Sniper held him down. “Ey, big guy. Little help here?”

Heavy applied his massive hand to the man's chest. "Stay still, little Spy. We are trying to help."

“Désolé…”Spy whimpered, nodding, and shut his eyes tight. Sniper moved quickly and carefully, stitching the man’s wound up properly, but the tenseness of the flinching muscles could still be felt under Heavy’s palm.


	6. Carrier Conundrum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soldier shares his story of the fabled Florida Keys with young Scout, but quickly finds himself in dire need of medical assistance. Meanwhile, Heavy lets a secret slip that will later put the tiny group in danger.
> 
> Update: Chapters now uploaded around once a week.

“Yo, ‘sup with you, Pally?” Scout wandered into the sanctuary, and spotted Soldier sitting at one of the pews. “Why you all mad and junk?”

Soldier was sitting and clenching his fists together, teeth gritted in pain. He glared at Scout. "I don't know if you've noticed, Private, but he was near death back there, and you were actin' like a goddamn JACKASS!"

“So? What do you care? He’s BLU anyway.” Scout shrugged, leaning over the pew behind Soldier. “Who gives a rat’s ass about them?”

A pause. "Things are different, now. The war is at a stalemate. We've got bigger things on our hands now. We help them, they help us, and once we get somewhere safe again, we can fight just like old times."

“Dude, dunno if you’ve noticed, but nowhere’s ‘safe’.” Scout used finger quotes around the last word. “Only safer. Sooner or later those things still come bustin’ in. ‘s what happened t’us.”

"We're not going to a house, or even a building. Mother nature's given us our own little moat for protection against these things," Soldier hissed, cradling his shoulder. "We've just got to make it... The Florida Keys..."

“What’s that?” Scout hopped over the pew to sit beside the older man. “Whoa. Dude. Your shoulder’s like six kinds of fucked up. Y’oughta get that fixed.”

"Negatory. Not while Spy is still in the infirmary for his own injuries," Soldier growled through gritted teeth.

“Infirmary?” Scout snorted. “Dude’s laying on the floor in the fucking hallway. Don’t call that an ‘infirmary’, exactly. Hell, ‘s’probably not even sanitary.”

"Close enough," Soldier grunted. "You wanna know about the Florida Keys or not, kid?"

"Sure." He shrugged.

"Off the south coast of Florida is a few islands a few miles off the coast or so. It's close enough to still see the mainland, but far enough to stop any Infected from trying to come over. All of the survivors are trying to go there to rebuild civilization or some crap. You get there by boat, I think."

“Or swim.” Scout shrugged with a grin. Obviously kidding, but he could probably do it if he had to. “So we get a boat and sail our asses there, huh? That the plan?”

"Yeah. The hard part is getting there."

“Huh? Oh yeah. Zombies. Right.” Scout scratched his chin in thought. “Ya know what we need? One of those big fucking monster truck things! Run the whole city right over, zombies and all! Man, that’d be sweet, huh?” He laughed.

Soldier cracked a small smile. "Affirmative."

“So we got like anything t’eat around here?” Scout looked around the sanctuary. “Fucking starving, ya know?”

"Had a jar of peanut butter somewhere," Soldier muttered.

“You guys had fucking peanut butter?!” Scout looked around for it, excitedly. “Where’d it go? Where’d it go? Aw, man, I’d kill for a PB&J sandwich right now.”

"Don't know." Soldier's voice sounded softer now. Weaker. "Look for yourself, kid..."

“Where is it where is it...” Scout crawled around on the floor now, in search of the condiment. “SCORE!” He held the jar up triumphantly, and took a victory scoop with the spoon still stuck in it. “MANNNN that is fucking deliciousssss!” He moaned, laughing, his mouth full of gooey deliciousness.

Soldier gasped quietly, clutching his shoulder. "G...Get... Heavy..." he whispered, face construed in pain.

“Wha?” Scout looked up. “Ohshhh.” He mumbled, mouth still full of peanut butter, and ran out to the hallway. “HHHBBY. DHHD. GHHT HNN HRR.”

Heavy turned to the boy, with fire in his eyes. "SCOUT, I SAID QUIET! DO NOT MAKE ME ASK AGAIN, OR WILL BE BIG TROUBLE!!!"

“BHHT ISS SHHLDHHR! HSS HRRT! HRRY!” He mumbled, trying to swallow back the peanutty substance that felt like glue on his tongue right now.

Heavy blinked, trying to make out what the kid was saying.

Mouth currently unable to work, Scout resorted to mime. He gestured towards the other room, then to his shoulder, and pretended like he was in pain. Again, he gestured towards the room.

Heavy groaned with worry and rushed past the boy. He found the hardened American soldier helplessly bleeding out, with fear shining obviously in his bright, blue eyes.

Spy stared at him as he left, but found his gaze slipping away from him, and passed out. Sniper shook his head, and finished stitching Spy up. Once he’d rebandaged the wound, he gently brought Spy over to the mattress. “We got another one?” He asked, his voice echoing in the sanctuary.

"Da." Heavy peeled away Soldier's blood-soaked shirt and winced. Soldier's shoulder practically looked like hamburger meat, it had taken such a beating. Heavy wondered how long he'd been trying to keep it concealed.

“Bring ‘im in.” Sniper swept his arm, and turned back into the hallway. Immediately, he began cleaning off the needle, resterilizing it and the thread he passed through.

Heavy brought the man over, holding him carefully. It was obvious that Soldier was trying to tough it out wordlessly, but he nearly looked in tears.

“I warned him about that fucking shoulder, man! I fucking TOLD him, dawg!” Scout chirped around the two, his mouth finally free from the peanut butter’s grasp. “I TOLD him, man! I told him about that shoulder! But would he listen? Noooo! Had to be all Mr. Tough Ass, and--”

"Eat your peanut butter," Heavy ordered, sounding everything like his mom.

“…fine.” Scout pouted. “Don’t wanna watch you freaks cut each other open or anything anyway.” He retreated back to the sanctuary for his jar of peanut butter.

“Christ…” Sniper exhaled when he saw Soldier’s wound. “You’re definitely gonna have t’hold him down, mate. This is gonna hurt.” He nodded to Heavy, and waited until the other man was securely pressed against the floor before he started to clean and stitch up the wound.

"Negatory," Soldier growled through gritted teeth. "I am perfectly capable of having enough self-control to hold still."

“Just hold him down.” Sniper growled, readying the needle. He knew that, in pain, most people couldn’t control the spasmodic jerks their bodies put forth.  
Heavy nodded and held the man down gingerly.

With deft precision, Sniper began weaving the needle in and out of the torn flesh, sewing it back together.

It was considerably difficult - Soldier's flesh was mangled, raw, and squishy like beef chuck. The poor man whimpered and groaned in pain, shifting slightly, even as he tried his best to keep a brave face. Heavy was shaking his head, looking at the poor progress.

“Bloody hell, mate.” Sniper shook his head, but he kept stitching away. “We gotta get you to a real doctor. Dunno if I can do much with this ‘cept cover it up.”

Soldier smiled grimly, gritting his teeth together. "I had a feeling you'd say..." A wince. "...somethin' like that. The chances of us finding a doc out there in these times are next to nothin'." A pause. "From now on, I want to be in the front of the group, alright? I'll be the one to get the brunt of the pain if anyone tries to fuck with us. Probably won't make it out with this arm, anyhow."

Sniper looked up at the Heavy, lost as to what to do. “ ‘s a pretty rough order t’give t’someone you’ve known for all of ten minutes.” He replied, bandaging the arm.

A snort. "Well, someone's gotta play decoy. Might as well be me."

“What about your plan?” A soft, French voice interrupted them, and the Sniper and Heavy turned to look at Spy, still half-dead on the mattress. “Zhe Florida Keys, yes? We’ll never make it zhere wizhout your guidance.”

A snort. "Just go east, then go south. I've just been usin' the sun to guide me. It ain't that hard. You guys... You guys can do it. I'm sure of it."

“I’m not.” Spy rasped out, before his lids went heavy and he passed out again.

"Hmpf." Soldier looked up at the two men. "You'll be fine. I'm sure of it."

“Whatever you say, mate.” Sniper replied, unsure, as he finished wrapping up the bandage. “There. Did all I can. But we really gotta get you to a doctor. Him too.” He glanced over at the unconscious Frenchman. “Bloke looks like he’s lost a lot of blood. Has he?” He looked to Heavy.

A nod. "Da. Am not sure how we will move when is time. Two men are down. I could carry both, but that would leave three men down."

“We really gotta get us a vehicle.” Sniper wiped his bloody hands off on a nearby rag. “How’re we set up for supplies, here? Food, water, ammo, that lot.”

"Ammo and water are good. Food is... eh." Heavy looked unsure.

“Eh?” Sniper looked up. “What’s ‘Eh’, mate? We got any?”

"Yes. But... Not much. Not enough for five people. Not for very long."

"How long?"

"Maybe a week. But we must save food for the next people here."

“Piss on that, mate. No offense, but if there’s food, we’re eating it.” He stood, and chucked the rag in the corner. “Our own survival is our priority. We can’t be worried about some blokes wot MIGHT come ‘round here after we’re gone.”

Heavy frowned. "Is not right way."

Sniper frowned. “You see these two?” He pointed at Spy, and at Soldier. “They need food, or they’re gonna die. You got that? They’re here. They’re alive right now. But if we save our food for people that we don’t even know exist yet, these two, and the rest of us, are gonna starve to death. You want that t’happen?”

A pause. "Fine," Heavy finally said. "But I will not eat this food. I will go out and find more food so that it will last."

“Not alone, you’re not. Take Scout with ya.” Sniper picked up a discarded blanket, and laid it over Soldier. “Think he’s poking around somewhere in there.” He pointed to the sanctuary as he covered Spy with another blanket. “I’ll stay here and keep an eye on these two.”

Heavy shook his head. "Not tonight. Tomorrow. Infected are still angry." Sure enough, there were still growls and mutters coming from beyond the bookshelf he's propped against the wall.

Sniper nodded. “Tomorrow, then.” He sat down on the mattress. “Now ya wanna bandage up my back? Took a wicked scrape from a Smoker out there.” He stripped off his shirt to reveal a rather large gash on his left shoulder blade. Goodbye medical supplies. They’d definitely need more after this.

Heavy chuckled. "Da. Will do."

Heavy bandaged <strike>that shit like a real fucking pimp and his cock grew three sizes that day</strike> the wound skillfully.

After he was done, Sniper put his shirt back on, and stood. “Thanks, mate.” He moved his shoulder, stiffly, testing it out. “So where we bunkin’? There room for us somewhere?”

"This mat is only one." He motioned to it. "Can sleep on chairs, though, yes? Very comfortable and padded."

“Reckon they’ll do.” Sniper nodded. “Any more blankets? Junior in there gets awful cold when he sleeps, surprisingly.” He wandered over to peer in the sanctuary. Scout was already passed out asleep in one of the pews.

"Yes, many blankets."

“Good. Gather’m up. We’ll give ‘em to these two and Scoot in there first, and then take some for ourselves if there’s any left.” He looked down at his arms. “Anywhere a fellow can wash up in here?”

Heavy shook his head. "Only water is for drinking. Pipes do not work."

“Same as the house, then.” Sniper grumbled. “Bloody hell, feels like I haven’t showered in months.” He leaned against the wall with a sigh. “I tell ya, if we do make it to the water, first thing I’m doin’ is jumpin in, t’get all this grime off.” He laughed.

Heavy smiled. "Da. Good idea." A soft, yearning sigh. There was nothing he wanted more than to take a long, relaxing bath... Maybe even go to a spa. What? Men go to spas, too, you know.

There was silence for a while, as Sniper studied the two sleeping men. “How long you, uh…you known these two, anyway?”

A smile. "Since yesterday."

“They, um…” His voice dropped to a whisper. “They…immune, d’y’know?”

"The Soldier definitely is. Walked here from Arizona. The Spy is, too. Got kicked out of his group for being what they called... 'Carrying'."

“ ‘e’s a carrier?” Sniper looked at the masked man nervously, and slowly backed away.

"I hear there are only carriers - people who are immune, like you and me - and people who are not immune. Like..." He motioned to the shelf, where there was mournful wailing from dying infected.

Sniper looked at the shelf as well, but then looked back to Spy. “That’s not what our Medic thought. He reckons there’s three types. Th’infected out there, th’immune, and carriers. Difference between the last two is the carriers get sick, like th’infected, but it takes a lot longer, and they’re wicked fierce when they do turn.” He sat down on the floor, watching the Spy, nervously. “He thinks that’s where ones like th’Hunters and Smokers come from.”

"Hopefully, is wrong," Heavy murmured quietly. "Is no way of knowing now."

“Nah. Poor blighter’s dead, anyway. Doesn’t make a difference to him now.” Sniper winced when his shoulder rubbed against the wall, but quickly righted himself. “Reckon most of them are now, too.” He glanced down at the floor, eyes filled with silent grief.

Solder shifted in his sleep and wrapped up Spy with his good arm. A tiny, sleepy mutter.

Heavy smiled down at them. "Is good to have someone else now, da?"

Sniper looked over at them, and chuckled. “It is.” He nodded. “Those two been together a while, looks like. D’you know?” He looked over at Heavy.

"No - have not. We all met each other yesterday. At first, they did not get along at all." A pause. "And what of you and your little Scout?"

“Been fightin’ those pikers since they came here. Us’n wot was left of our team.” He looked down at the floor again. “Less’n a few hours ago, there was six of us.” He shook his head in disbelief. “Can’t hardly believe it.”

Heavy's jaw dropped. "What happened?"

Sniper dug out a cigarette from his pants pocket, and brought it to his lips. He paused in lighting it, to look at Heavy. “You mind?” He pointed to the cig, not sure if he should light it.

Heavy winced, but finally relented a shrug. "Go ahead. But remember - this sacred ground."

Sniper nodded, and did the sign of the cross -- only slightly sarcastic -- before he lit the cigarette. He took a deep drag, and paused for a while, savouring the nicotine. “…it was a tank.” He finally answered. “Not the…military kind. One of those big-ass bludgers that throw rocks and shite. Huge horde followin’ him too. Took out damn near everyone.”

Heavy paled. “Have only seen one of those before... One time would be all anyone would need."

“Yeah, they’re…they’re pretty scary, mate.” Sniper inhaled on the cig again. “Ripped our whole house right apart. And of course, Pyro tried to set him on fire, to take ‘im down, but that just…that just burned everythin’ right to the ground.” Another deep inhale, and he put the cigarette out on the bottom of his boot. “Barely made it out of there alive.”

Heavy nodded sympathetically.

Sniper sniffed, hard, and wiped at his eyes. “ ‘m gonna…go check on the kid.” He stood and jerked his thumb toward the sanctuary.

Heavy nodded and got comfortable where he was.

Scout had fallen asleep, clutching the jar of peanut butter close, and muttering in his sleep.  
Sniper traipsed into the sanctuary, and over to the pew where Scout was laying. He smiled, and sat beside him, ruffling his hair gently.

Scout jerked, holding the jar as if he was about to chuck it at the man.

“Easy, easy.” Sniper whispered, chuckling softly. “ ‘s just me, kiddo.” He stroked the boy’s hair. “ ‘s alroight. G’back t’sleep.”

"Aw, dude... Scared me half to death, there." He blinked, noting the blanket thrown around his arms. "W... Where'd this come from, huh?" Confusion.

“The bloody blanket fairy.” Sniper grinned. “Where d’ya think?”

A pause. "F...Fuh a minute, there, I thought it'd been my ma." Sadness for a second.

Sniper put a hand on his shoulder. “Now how could it’ve been your ma, eh? You know she’s sittin’ up in Boston, waiting for ‘er youngest little brat t’come home.” He grinned through what he knew was probably a lie.

".... Yeah..." A sniff, and Scout looked up at Sniper hopefully. "Yeah, ya right. My ma's stronger than most people. She had me, didn't she?" A grin.

“Scout, any woman wot can survive raising you can probably defeat the hordes of the undead single-handedly.” He laughed, putting his arm around the boy. “She’s fine. You’ll see when we get there.”

"So, wait... We ain't goin' with those other guys?" Confusion.

Sniper looked back into the hallway, and then back down to Scout. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.” He shook his head, dropping his voice down to a whisper.

"Why not?" Scout blinked.

“I just…I don’t, alroight?” Sniper sighed. “Just…go back to sleep, alroight?”

A sigh, then the boy nodded and rolled over to go to sleep.

Sniper patted him on the shoulder, and leaned back in the pew, to go to sleep himself. After a few minutes, he managed to doze off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've got so much of this to go, it's a bit intimidating to look at. So from now until whenever I come up dry, I plan on updating at least once a day, every day, until my reserve is completely gone. Hope you guys are ready to be super annoyed with seeing this shoved in your face until that's finished.


	7. He's A Witch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a mysterious leave of absence by Heavy, presumably to get supplies, Sniper tries to take the situation into his own hands. Spy seems to be showing signs of becoming something inhuman, and he's been through too much to let those signs go ignored...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying out some different formatting. Still not completely sold on it, but eh.

Waking up that morning was the hardest thing Soldier ever had to do. But he had to do it. He had to stay in shape. Those blood-sucking parasites wouldn't get him without a fight! He dragged himself up, hearing every last bone in his body ache.

Spy was still there, asleep on his side, face as pale as milk under the balaclava. He didn’t stir at all when Soldier rose from the mattress.

Soldier paused, and went to feel for a pulse. It was there, but it was weak, and rather slow. His hand, even through the bandage, was almost ice-cold, too.

Soldier wasn't sure what to do. At a loss, he decided to give up his morning routine this time and share body heat with the man.

Spy whimpered softly when Soldier wrapped his arms around him, but didn’t stir otherwise. His lips fell open, and his breath could be seen in the room as very light fog. Soldier hoped he was doing enough.

Sniper traipsed in, having his morning cigarette, and rubbed his arms to keep warm. “G’mornin’.” He nodded at the men on the bed, quietly. “Am I interruptin’ somethin’?”

"He's really cold, n I dunno why," Soldier grunted, trying not to seem as worried as he felt. "Pulse feels weird, too."

“Yeah? Lemme see.” Sniper walked over, and cautiously picked up Spy’s arm. He felt the pulse there, and his brow furrowed in a frown. “Where’s the big guy at?” he muttered.

Soldier looked around. Heavy seemed to be gone. "He wasn't in there with you?" Confusion.

“Nah.” Sniper shook his head. “Maybe he’s downstairs.” He went through the doorway, and headed down the creaky stairs. “Heavy? You down here?” He called out.

Scout looked up from the box he was digging through in order to find some more food. "Huh? Oh, the big guy. Said he was stepping out for a bit to get some stuff or somethin'."

“WOT?” Sniper froze, and ran up the stairs again. He peered out the slats in the door, finally realizing ‘oh shit, someone moved the shelf. Should’ve noticed that before’. “Fuck. Oh fuck. Oh bloody fucking hell…” He paced nervously around the hallway.

Soldier was rubbing Spy's hands, looking worried. He felt bad for everything he'd ever said to the man. In fact, he'd probably been the one to cause this when he was so rough before... He felt like a... Like a brute.

Sniper turned on his heel, and faced the man. “Okay…okay, we got a problem.”

“Heavy’s gone.” He panted. “Think he went to get food and shite, but I fucking TOLD him to take Scout, for backup, and the bloody piker didn’t, so now he’s out there all alone, and…oh Jesus, he’s gonna be killed.” Sniper sat down on the floor, his head in his hands.

Soldier snarled. "I was out there by myself for DAYS, and so was Heavy. If he thinks he'll be okay, he'll be okay. there's no reason to doubt him until then."

Sniper just sighed. “If he’s not back in 24 hours, mate…”

"24 hours? Hell, I didn't say let's abandon him! Try twelve, son. If he's not back by the time the sun's going down again, I'll even come with you."

“I didn’t mean…” Sniper shook his head, and went to look out the door. “If he’s not back in 24 hours, mate, I’d say he’s dead, and that means one of us’ll have to go out and get fresh supplies. And you’re not going anywhere, with those kind of injuries.”

Beside Soldier, Spy started to stir a little, his eyelashes fluttering gently as he tried to wake up.

Soldier rubbed his hand more. "Spy? You there, Private?"

Spy groaned softly in his sleep, and weakly clutched at the hands rubbing his. Slowly, his eyes started to open a little, and he stared sightlessly at the two in front of him. A soft "Hein?" was all that escaped him.

“‘Hein?’” Soldier echoed. “Is that French for Handsome Devil?”

“Quoi?” He turned towards the other man, still quite out of it.

“Bloody hell, this ain’t good.” Sniper stood there, shaking his head.

"Maybe he's out getting medical supplies, too...?" Soldier suggested."

Sniper picked up Spy’s other wrist, and checked his pulse again. “Think it’s too late for that, mate.” He muttered, softly.

"He... He's not going to..." Soldier gulped. "I... Is he...?"

The Aussie sighed, and let go of the wrist. Spy watched him go, with a half-lidded, drowsy gaze. “I’ll be right back.” He headed down the stairs, to the storeroom areas. There he found a small, unused room they could lock and barricade. “It’ll do.” He nodded to himself, and headed back upstairs. “Alright, mate, ya gotta let go of him. ‘m gonna take him downstairs.” Sniper climbed onto the mattress beside Spy.

Soldier stared at him suspiciously. "What do you plan on doin'?" he growled.

“What needs to be done. Now move.” Sniper began gingerly scooping the skinny Spy into his arms.

Soldier relented, but pushed himself up on his feet. "I wanna come, too. Just in case."

“Y’should stay ‘ere and rest, mate. Keep an eye out for Heavy.” He hoisted the Spy up, and started making his way down the stairs. The poor Frenchman barely uttered a sound as he was carried. He just laid there, limp as a noodle, in Sniper’s arms.

Soldier huffed quietly, but relented.

Sniper finally made his way downstairs, and went over to the closet he’d left open. Gently, he laid Spy inside, locked the door, and went back upstairs. Immediately, he began looking around for the Soldier’s discarded shotgun. He found it in a corner, and headed back for the stairwell. Soldier was laying on the bed, fretting silently.

Sniper saw this, and stopped. “Heavy said you two only knew each other ‘bout a day. Were you…close, at all?”

"Huh?" Soldier asked, not understanding the man.

“Close. Like, mates. Friends, y’know?”

A pause. "Yeah, guess you can say that... Came to a... a sort of agreement, I suppose."

“Well…’m sorry, then, mate.” Sniper nodded at him, and gestured to the gun. “I’ll make it quick. Promise.”

Soldier jumped to his feet with a roar and tackled him to the ground. "YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HIM, YOU HEAR ME, YOU SLIME?!"

“IT’S GOTTA BE DONE, MATE!” He tried to shove the larger man off of him. “CAN’T YOU SEE?! HE’S BLOODY CHANGIN’ INTO ONE OF THEM! HE’S A BLOODY CARRIER! HE’LL BE A WITCH OR A SMOKER BEFORE WE KNOW IT!” He struggled against the weight of the other man, to no avail. “I GOTTA DO IT. LET ME UP!” He shouted, “SCOUT! COULD USE A HAND, HERE!”

"HE'S NOT FUCKING CHANGINGING! HE'S ONE OF US!!!" Soldier snapped.

“SCOUT!” He hollered again, “SCOOOUT! GET THIS BLOODY WHACKJOB OFF OF ME!”

Scout rushed in. "DA HELL JUST HAPPENED?! You guys havin' a lover's quarrel or some shit?!"

Sniper threw the gun over to the young runner. “Downstairs, in the closet. Spy. You gotta kill him. Go now!” he ordered, still trying to pry the Soldier off.

“WHAT?!” Scout asked with a gasp. “Why, man?!”  
“He’s turnin! He’s one of them- the infected. Y’gotta hurry!”   
"WHAT?!"

"NO HE'S NOT!!!" Soldier hollered. "LISTEN TO ME, PRIVATE - YOU CANNOT KILL HIM."   
“DO IT, SCOUT! DO IT! HURRY!” Sniper hollered over him. “IT’S TO SAVE US. YOU GOTTA DO IT!”   
"H...HOW DO YOU FIGURE HE'S TURNIN?!" Scout squeaked.

“He’s pale, his pulse is weak, and Heavy said he’s a carrier. That’s proof enough.” Sniper wriggled under Soldier’s grasp. “He’s dying, and the second he’s dead, he’ll become one of them, and he’ll try to kill us. You’ve seen it happen, Scout. You saw it happen with Heavy. We can’t let it happen again.”

Scout shook. "I...."

"NO!" Soldier leapt on the kid, too, teeth ground together. "YOU CAN'T. YOU CAN'T! HE DOESN'T KNOW - SPY LOST A LOT OF BLOOD - HE'S SICK AND WEAK AND HELPLESS. WOULD YOU KILL A HELPLESS MAN, SOLDIER?!"

“He’s helpless now, but wait till he turns. Then we’ll be the ones who’re.” Sniper shook his head, and stood, finally free from the larger man. “Toss me the gun, Scout. Quick. I’ll do it.”   
Hands trembling, Scout did as he was told.

"NO!!!" Soldier screamed. "NOT AGAIN. I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN."   
“…again?” Sniper paused, halfway down the stairwell.   
Soldier huffed, shoulders shaking. "... Please!"   
Sniper frowned. “…wot d’you mean, ‘again’?”

Soldier shook even more. "I got bit. I was the first one. The entire damn team went in an uproar - said I would become one of them in hours, or even minutes. I was... dishonorably discharged from my position as a Soldier. Left to fend for myself out in this hellhole. But it's been days. I'm still here. I'm still human. I'm still ME."

His eyes darted around frantically. "I've been with a few survivor groups since then, and things were the same. One person would start coughing, and he'd be shot in the head because he'd probably turn into a Smoker or some shit." Panting as he tried to regain his breath. "I'm not letting it happen again. Not when it could've been me!"

Sniper frowned. “Then do it for him, mate. He’s bloody suffering. Put him out of his misery.” He held the gun out for Soldier.   
"NO!!!" Soldier knocked it away. "HE CAN DO IT! HE CAN LIVE!!! He's STRONGER than this!" Soldier needed him. Needed somebody - something - to protect. To fight for.

“How d’you know, mate?” Sniper balked. “You’ve only know him for, what? Two days? And most of that time, he’s been unconscious.” He scoffed. “Bet ya don’t even know ‘is name, do ya?”   
Soldier went silent. His expression - or what they could make of it - was stoic under his large helmet. Then, there was a sniff, and two glassy tears streaked down his face. "Don't..." he pleaded softly.

Sniper was silent for a long time, and then sighed. “I won’t kill ‘im. But he’s gotta stay locked up down there. ‘s for our safety’s sake, y’hear?”   
"By himself? I'll stay with him," Soldier offered immediately.

“No.” Sniper ordered. “ ‘s too dangerous. We can’t afford to lose two of ya.”   
"How much help am I, anyway?" Soldier shot back.  
“A lot more help than a bloody corpse, mate.”   
"A corpse wouldn't need to eat. You could stay here longer, or go whenever you wanted."

Sniper growled. “Fine. You wanna get yourself bloody hacked to bloody bits, then go bloody do it, but lock the bloody door behind you, because I’d like to keep my flesh where it is, thanks.” He gestured down the stairs, and made room for Soldier to go by.

Soldier nodded and grunted a quick, "Thanks," before heading down. Scout was silent for the whole exchange.

Spy was still lying there in the closet, half-asleep when he got there. “ oo’s zhere?” He called out, weakly, when he heard the door open. “What’s going on? Are zhey attacking? I ‘eard shouting.”

"It's nothin'," Soldier sighed, secretly relieved that the man was still talking. He'd nabbed two blankets with him. He laid the plushier of the two on the ground, scooted Spy on top of it, then wrapped the second one around them. He spooned the smaller man from behind, arms slung around him. "You feelin' any better?" he grunted quietly.

“Still ‘ungry, and very tired, but yes, zhank you…” He didn’t flinch from the embrace, but was weirded out all the same. “…what are you doing?”

"Keepin' you warm, numbnuts. Did you say you were hungry? I've still got some peanut butter if you want it. Oh, and I found a can of peaches, too."   
“Mmm…” was all Spy replied with, before his eyes closed again.

Soldier shuffled over to the door, and knocked. "Hey. He says he's hungry. Throw us a can of peaches, some peanut butter, and a spoon, will ya?"   
There was some shuffling, and then Scout opened the door a crack. “He ain’t gonna…like…eat me, is he?”   
"He's still talking, Private. I'd say the situation is well under control."   
“Okay. Hang on.”

He closed the door, and came back again with the peaches and a spoon. “Couldn’t find the peanut butter. It’s here, somewhere, I just messed shit up earlier, and now I can’t find it. Sorry.” He shrugged, holding out the food he did find.   
"Good enough. Thanks a lot, private. Be sure to lock the door to help Sniper sleep better." A grin.

He chuckled, nervously. “Yeah. Kay.” He closed the door, and the telltale click of the lock was heard. Then the sound of feet crossing the floor, slowly fading into silence.

Soldier descended again, and sat Spy up on him. "Wake up for a minute, Spy. Gotta get somethin' in ya."   
He half-struggled away from the man, grunting softly. “I told you, zhree francs! Give me zhe money first…” he mumbled.

Soldier nudged him gingerly. "Spy. C'mon, wake up."   
“Hein?” He blinked, and opened his eyes halfway. “What is it?”   
Soldier popped open the can. “I got your food here. C'mon - try to eat somethin'.”

“Food?” Spy just blinked, confused. “…it’s not peanut butter, is it?”   
"Peaches." A chuckle.   
“….I like peaches.” He replied, dully staring at the can. A few times his eyes threatened to close again.

"C'mon..." Soldier cut one up a bit and spooned it into the man's mouth.   
Spy opened his eyes a bit, and chewed the bite before swallowing it with a grimace. “Ugh…warm…”   
Soldier groaned aloud. "Can you juuust eat it, Frenchie?"

“I’m eating, I’m eating…” He reached for the spoon, but his hand fell away, and he sighed, tiredly, flopping against Soldier’s shoulder. “…I’m trying…”   
"I'll do it." Soldier repeated the process, surprisingly gentle for... someone of his class.

Spy groaned, but ate the bite just the same. “Being spoon-fed like an infant…Why not just shoot me in zhe ‘ead and save me zhe embarrassment?” He chuckled, and opened his mouth for another bite.   
"Eh. Nothin' to be afraid of. I had to spoon-feed my Grandpa when I was a young one, but he could still beat the stupid out of me any day of the week." A fond chuckle.

“I don’t zhink it worked.” Spy grinned up at him.   
"Hey." A grin. "Watch your mouth there, Frenchie. I know over fifteen ways to murder a man with his own spoon, and 27 with a ladle."

Spy chuckled weakly, and his head rolled against Soldier’s arm again. “Soldier…where are we?” He seemed to finally notice his surroundings past the peach can.   
Soldier paused. "Downstairs for now."

"Why? What's 'appened?”   
"The infected were getting a little rowdy. Sniper wants us to stay down here for safety."   
“Are zhe ozhers okay? Why aren’t zhey ‘ere?” He looked up at him, the worry evident even past his obvious exhaustion.   
"They're fine, trust me. Just sleep, alright? I don't want you getting any more sick."

Spy looked down at the floor, and mumbled, very quietly, “…but I’m still ‘ungry…”   
"Alright... hold on.... Alrighty - open up." Soldier smile at the man.   
“What, no train noises?” Spy chuckled, but opened up anyway.   
Soldier chuckled as well, happy. He was sure he'd made the right decision.

Over the course of the next twenty minutes or so, Spy managed to eat nearly every bite in the entire can, before he finally passed out on Soldier.

Soldier was fine with this. He went back to spooning the thinner man, and eventually fell asleep, himself, totally exhausted.


	8. Purple Areas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heavy returns, Scout comes clean, and Sniper is forced to defend his actions.

Sniper’s hands shook as he inhaled on yet another cigarette. His gaze kept shifting from the locked door, to the door leading downstairs. Something dangerous could come from either one, at any moment. The nicotine did little to calm him away from this fact. “Where the hell is that butterball?” He grumbled. He was getting hungry, but he wouldn’t dare risk going anywhere near that closet.

As if on cue, Heavy burst in with bloodied knuckles and a trash bag full of loot with a huge grin on his face.

“JESUS CHRIST! YOU’RE ALIVE!” Sniper sprung to his feet. “SCOUT! EY, SCOUT! HE’S BACK!” He looked at the trash bag, “AND HE’S GOT STUFF!” He strode over to the other man, and helped him close the door. “Thought you were a goner, mate. What’d ya find?”

Heavy grinned, hefting the bounty onto one of the tables. "Food. Medical supplies. Maps, and chalk. Used chalk to make more signs to safehouse."

“Bloody beaut!” Sniper took the bag, and immediately began pawing through it, itemizing the contents. “Good on ya, mate. This should keep us going for a while longer. SCOUT! COME ON! CHECK OUT THE LOOT!"

The boy bounded outside, face broadly stretched with glee. "AWESOME, man! FUCK - ARE THOSE GRANOLA BARS?!" His mouth watered.  
"Here. Dig in." Sniper tossed him one. "But don't eat em all. Gotta save em, alright?"

Organizing the food into piles, he sighed. "Guess I should probably go check on their wounds, aye?"  
"Da." Heavy looked around. "Wait... Where IS Spy and Soldier?"  
A pause. "....downstairs."

"... What are they doing there?" Heavy's voice had a slight warning tone to it.  
Sniper shrugged. “Dunno.” He stared at a can of beans, and stacked it with the others. He tried to not make it obvious that he was hiding Heavy’s gaze.  
“Don’t lie, man, he’s gonna find out one way or the other,” Scout muttered, biting his lip quietly. “We put ‘em in there and locked ‘em up.” He looked down at his sneakers.

Heavy exhaled loudly through his nose. "What are they doing in basement? Why would you force them there and lock them in?"  
“They’re fine. Blabbermouth ‘ere gave ‘em some food a while ago,” Sniper grumbled. And the award for avoiding the question goes to…

Heavy slammed his fist on the table Sniper was stacking everything on, making the cans rattle ominously. "You will tell me EVERYTHING, or you get NOTHING. No food, no shelter!" he hissed through clenched teeth. "Now TALK."

Sniper paused for a long time, seeming to contemplate this. “ ‘e’s infected. The Spy. That’s why I locked him in.”  
“And…” Scout added softly. “… Tried to shoot him, too.”

Heavy was horrified. "Spy is CARRIER, not infected! Shame on you! He has more right to be here than you! He was here first, and you try to kill him!"  
“T’ protect the rest of us!” Sniper protested. “He’s getting’ sicker ‘n sicker, and I don’t wanna wind up as witch bait! Do you?”

"He's lost much blood! Of course is sick! And what about Soldier! Why you try killing him?!"  
“I didn’t! The daft idiot went down there himself.” Sniper growled. “I tried to talk him out of it, but he’s a right crackpot to think there’s any hope of saving that Spy. As far gone as he is. We’re lucky he ain’t turned already.”

Heavy glowered at Sniper, furious. Then he turned his gaze to Scout. "And what about you? What part did you have in this?"  
Scout raised his hands. “I-I didn’t do nothin’! I only did what Snipes told me to! Honest! I even gave ‘em food an’ shit!”

Heavy grumbled to himself. "I cannot trust you anymore. Spy is ally until we have more proof than sickness! If you try to hurt him again, I...." He shook his head, lips set in a stern line. "I... should not say."

“I didn’t hurt him.” Sniper grumbled. “It’s him wot’s gonna hurt us, soon. You’ll see. Then you’ll see I’m right.” He stood, and pulled a pack of cigs out of his back pocket. “Only hope it’s not too late, then.” He lit the cig, blew the smoke in Heavy’s face, and went to go sulk in the sanctuary.

Heavy growled to himself, then went to go check on the two injured men.

Spy was still asleep, wrapped up in the Soldier’s arms, in the closet, and was sleeping peacefully. He was still quite pale, and weak, but for now he could rest.

The next day was pretty tense for everyone upstairs - especially Sniper. Heavy shot him glances that spoke loudly of distrust and slight contempt.  
Sniper shot him back glances of a similar nature, as well as knowing ones at Scout, that seemed to say ‘stay away, we don’t need them’.  
Scout didn’t know about that. They DID have food...

Heavy sighed, not wanting to build any more ill will between the people he might have to rely on to survive. He stood from the table he was eating at, and nodded. "I will go check on Spy and Soldier."  
“Fine.” Sniper shrugged, shuffling the deck of cards again, dealing them out to Scout. "Don't get eaten." he mumbled.

Heavy sighed and rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Quietly, he went downstairs to check on the two.

Spy still hadn’t stirred, but he’d seemed to have warmed up considerably, and was slightly less pale than he had been before. Still very exhausted, though, and so, he slept on, oblivious to anything around him.

Soldier looked up, paranoid and defensive. Though when he saw it was just Heavy, he calmed. "Oh, Good. Thought you were dead, big guy. You gotta have one massive sack, goin' out there by yourself. Anyways, I think he's doin' better. Looks better, don't he?"

The mentioned man shifted a little in his sleep, eyelashes fluttering.  
Heavy nodded. "Yes... I can see. Does he... know about...?"  
"Sniper? No - didn't tell him. Wait - how do YOU know about Snipes?"

"Scout, mostly. Was not happy with him, but... Is right to be careful." Heavy shifted. "It is... safe to wake him, yes?"  
Soldier shrugged. "Iunno. Maybe. Hey, Frenchie. Ya up?"  
“Hnnn…” He groaned softly, eyes still closed.

"C’mon, Frenchie. Heavy's here to check up on ya. Wakey, wakey." Soldier shifted him gingerly, to get him moving again.  
Spy rolled onto his back, with a wince, and opened his eyes halfway. “Quoooi?” He whined.  
"We're in America, son. Speak a language that ain't French. That, like, as opposite as you can get without being Russian. No offense, big guy."  
Heavy just cut him a glare.

Spy smirked up at him, tiredly. “We are in Louisiana. Zhey speak French ‘ere.”  
"...... Shut up - ya got company."  
“Oh.” He noticed Heavy. “Allo.” He greeted. “ ‘ow is everyzhing upstairs? Okay, I ‘ope.”  
"Yes. Everything is... okay."

“Per’aps we should come back upstairs, zhen.” He tried to sit up, his arms shaking from the effort. “Might be safer for us to all be togezher.”  
"Er, no. Is okay. Is actually safer for you to be down here. Away from impediment danger, should something else happen. You two must recover - you are already looking better, I see."

Spy flopped back onto his back again, panting from the exertion. “…yes. Just…still tired.” He nodded.  
"Still not done recovering. Stay where you are - Soldier will take care of you. Do you need food? I went and got more."  
“You did?” Spy looked worried. “Are you…did you get ‘urt, at all?”

"Some cuts and bruises. Maybe scraped knee. Is no problem."  
"You're sure?"  
A smile and nod. "Yes. Was only outside alone for some hours. Have been out much longer - trust me."  
“Okay.” He nodded, still panting. “Good… good.” His head rolled back on the mattress and his eyes closed again.

Heavy paused, unsure. "Did you say no? Are not hungry?"  
“Starving.” He replied, without looking at the either, voice still rather mumbly.  
"I will get you food. Granola bars are okay, yes?"

“What’s zhat?” He turned his head back to them, weakly, eyes still barely open.  
"Hm... I will just bring you one, and you decide if you like it or not."  
"OOH. ME. BRING ME ONE, TOO!!!" Soldier cried. His mouth was watering.

Spy looked up at Soldier and chuckled. “Okay. I will try one.” He replied to Heavy.  
Heavy nodded and smiled. "Yes, very good." He disappeared through the door.

Scout seemed pretty nervous. He watched for Heavy, and as soon as he'd exited the back room, he pulled him aside. "So what's it like, huh? He screamin' or twitchin' or moanin' yet?" he hissed, watching the door fearfully.  
“He’s turnin’ into an infected, Scout. Not havin’ sex.” Sniper deadpanned from the shadows, cigarette dangling from his lips. “How is he?” he asked Heavy himself.

"Seems to be doing better," Heavy answered triumphantly. "Is less pale, can hold conversation... Is just very tired, still. But is to be expected."  
Sniper fiddled with his cigarette, seeming to contemplate something. Then he headed back upstairs without a word, still skeptical.

Heavy sighed, following him. "You don't believe me?" he asked.  
“Did I say that?” He replied, without looking back, still puffing away on the cig.  
"No. I did not mean to accuse. Is just hard to understand what you are thinking sometimes."

“You wanna know what I’m thinkin, then?” He plopped himself back in his chair at the card table. “ ‘m thinkin’ it’d be one less mouth to feed. Your haul’ll last us a while, but it’d last longer without him. ‘specially considering he’s liable to turn on us at any moment.” He dealt out the cards and started playing a round of solitaire.

"You would hurt -- no, KILL -- someone for... For... Because is easier?!" Heavy gasped, dumbfounded.  
“Not easier, mate. Safer.” He replied, staring down at his cards. “Survival is key in times like these, and we’re more likely to survive if we off him. It’s nothing personal, mate. ‘s just common sense.”

"The sense of someone without heart!" Heavy cried. "If it is more food you want, I get for you. But we will not kill anyone before their time!"  
“Who’s to say his time ain’t already passed, mate?” Sniper turned around on the chair, to look at Heavy. “If it weren’t for me comin’ along when I did, stitchin’ him up proper, he’d have bled to death, and none of this would be any sort of problem, now would it.”

"No, but it is, and we are not hurting him without cause - or because it is easy," Heavy responded. "When he gets better, he may be big help with infected problem."  
“How?” Sniper balked. “As far as I’ve seen, ol’ Spooky’s nothin’ but a nervous bunch of bones. Probably too damn scared t’even shoot the bloody things.”

"He has been SICK, Sniper! And he has not had previous experience with them!"  
“None of us had, before this whole mess got started, but we dealt with it! We survived!” Sniper stood up, angrily. “What has he bloody done? Huh? Answer me that!”

Heavy seemed confused by the question. "What have YOU done?" he asked.

Sniper paused, and frowned. He glanced down the staircase, and lowered his voice. “If it weren’t for me, the kid’d be dead by now. He’s so cocky, running off into battles, whooping and hollering. It’s me always leading th’infected away with a pipe bomb or something. It’s me always picking our next move.” He sat back down in the chair. “I’ve saved a life. That’s what I’ve done. Satisfied?”

"You have saved two. Little Scout and Spy's. If it were Scout who was injured instead, would you kill him, too?"  
“ ‘s different.” He grumbled. “Scout’s a kid. He don’t know anything. ‘s up t’me to look out for ‘im.” He looked up at Heavy again. “And he’s not a bloody carrier, like Spy.”

Another sigh. "He has not turned yet. Once he shows more.... telling signs of being one of infected, then we do something. For now, he is very sick man who needs help."  
“By the time he shows the more obvious signs, mate, it could be too late!” Sniper slammed his fist on the table. “We waited it out, with our Heavy. Look where it landed us.”  
"...Your Heavy?" The giant Ruski seemed confused again.

“Yeah, we…we had one too.” He looked down at the table, and was silent for a long time, thinking. “…y’remember that tank I told y’about? The one that…that fucked everything up?”  
"He... He was...?" Heavy bit his lower lip.  
“A carrier. Yeah. Like Spy. Medic figured that’s why…why it took longer for him to…change…”

A sigh from Heavy. "But Spy is improving. That means nothing?"  
“I haven’t seen him improving, mate.” Sniper frowned. “Bugger still looked pretty damn sick from the glances I caught through the door.”

"But is less pale and talking."  
“And ‘ow can ya tell he’s less pale? He’s got that bloody mask on his face.” Sniper protested. “And talking don’t mean a thing. Heavy didn’t lose that till the day he turned.”

"We are not killing him," Heavy reaffirmed, standing to his full height. "If something would happen to you, I would protect you like Spy. Like I would protect everyone. All of us are survivors. All are worth saving to me."  
Sniper frowned, unconvinced. “Even though I tried to kill him? You’d still do that?”  
Heavy looked confused by the very question. "Yes... of course. Why do you not... think so?"

“Because I wouldn’t.” He crossed his arms, and leaned back in the chair. “Someone was threatenin’ my party, I wouldn’t give two shits about what happens to ‘em. So why should you?”  
"In strange way, you still are trying to protect team. I just do not agree how. If you tried killing him for... fun? I would not let you stay."

“I don’t kill people for fun, mate.” He glared at Heavy. “That’s just sick, is wot it is.”  
"I said 'if'. Not that you do. Am just saying you try to help. You are part of team. And are right in a way. Is big problem - this. But I want no killing."

“You’re in the wrong world, then, mate.” He stared out at the door, where the occasional infected could be seen, through the slats, wandering the street. “Killing’s the only way we’re gonna get out of this place. And you’re gonna have to do lots of it.”  
"Killing of real people, I mean. You knew that," Heavy replied, more than a little irritated.

Sniper nodded, smirking a little. “Don’t suppose you managed to hold onto one of them miniguns, aye? Thing like that’d be bloody useful.”  
"No." A look of grief briefly passed his face. "Sasha used too much ammo and was too heavy and... many other things. I could not keep her."

“ ‘m sorry, mate. I know how y’can get attached to your gun.” He leaned on the table, propping his head up with his hand. “I sure do miss my rifle. Could’ve just sat up in the belfry and picked these buggers off, one by one.”  
Heavy nodded and sniffed. A smile. "There, see? We are still allies, despite different ideas. And..." An embarrassed smile. "Different colors."

Sniper nodded. “Yeah, we’ll just see how this all plays out, mate. Maybe things’ll work themselves out.” Outside, one of the infected shrieked, if for no other reason than to set ambiance.

Heavy nodded, then gasped. "Oh! Meant get food for the others. We may speak another time, yes?"  
Sniper nodded, dealing the cards out again. “Sure, mate. Whatever.”  
Scout watched Heavy’s retreating back until he was completely gone. "Look, I dun mean to be a… a sick fuck or nothin’, but… d’ya think maybe we should kill all of ‘em, get all the food we can, and haul ass? Iunno whether to trust these guys or not."

“We’re not killing anyone ‘less they’re a threat, Scout.” He dealt another card, and lowered his voice. “…notice I didn’t say ‘No’, though.”  
A decisive nod. For Scout, things had to be simple. Black or white. "Us" vs "Them". That's what made fighting the war so easy for him. There was no gray - or _purple_ \- areas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still testing out this new format style. Why are these chapters slowly getting longer and longer...


	9. "Real" Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following an insensitive remark Soldier makes about the German occupation of France, Spy enlightens him about the realities of living under tyrannical, hostile rule. Soldier's world views are forever changed.

"Here." Heavy smiled, handing over two granola bars. "Take one."  
"THANK SWEET BABY JESUS!" Soldier cried, snatching one away and biting into it eagerly.

Spy held his weakly, and stared down at the wrapping as he tried to remove it. Emphasis on the word tried.  
Soldier was busy tearing into his, so Heavy sighed, plucked the thing away from Spy, opened it, and handed it back. "Try it now." Another smile.

The Frenchman looked at it for a moment, studying it, before he was hit with a moment of clarity. “Ohhh…” He nodded. “It is a cereal bar. I see.” He bit into his as well, and nodded at Heavy with a tired smile, confirming the food was good.

"That means a lot from him, big guy," Soldier chuckled, looking down fondly at the Frenchman. "I've never seen such a fussy eater in my life!"  
“I am not fussy.” Spy pouted, swallowing the bite of granola. “I just don’t like peanut butter, zhat’s all.” Another bite. “Or warm fruit. I am not fussy. I just don’t like eating certain zhings. Everyone is like zhat.”

"Not during these times," Heavy admitted. "I never liked beans - especially canned. Did not like peanut butter, either. But, after days of starving, it is best thing in whole world to eat."  
Soldier nodded, knowing the feeling.

“I suppose.” Spy shrugged, and then looked at the other two, both seemingly deep in thought.  
“But zhen, bozh of you two are…you’re not used to being ‘ungry like zhat, hein?”

Soldier seemed offended. "Like HELL I ain't! I didn't have an ARMY to feed me when I went all the way to Europe to crack some Nazi skulls in, mister! I had to use my wits, my strength, and whatever little bit of Polish I knew to survive! Damn fuckin' commies wouldn't take my good, red-blooded AMERICAN dollars!" A venomous grumble as he bit into his bar again. "I'm tellin' ya. Two weeks of living on spit-roasted badgers is enough to make ya go CRAZY."

"Um... Well, Spy, what do you mean by question? You have been very hungry like this before?"

“I ‘ave.” He nodded, biting into bar before. “Zhe reason why should be clear, at least for Soldier, given my ‘eritage. But zhen, I suppose if you were in Poland at zhe time, you would know very little about zhe occupation, yes?”

"The thing about you Frenchies giving up?" Soldier asked crassly. "Yeah, I know about that. Couldn't have been easy for ya. Wish ya had some Americans to bail you guys out sooner. Ya'll are more suited for... makin' clothes n' fancy donuts and expensive cigarettes - not fightin', really."  
Heavy was rubbing his temples.

Spy just frowned, and looked away, eating the last bite of his granola bar. “You really don’t know anyzhing, do you.” He mumbled.  
A pause, as Soldier considered the question. Finally, he relented a soft, painful, "No..."

Surprised, Spy looked back. “Do you know what zhey did to us? Zhe Germans. ‘ow zhey treated us?”

Soldier seemed pissed. "No, not a damn thing! Nobody would tell me! Nobody would ever tell me ANYTHING!" He hated the way people always used to look at him. How they'd smile and shake their heads at his ignorance, as if it wasn't even worth their time to teach him. He HATED those looks. He hardly bothered asking anymore - he just made up his own explanations for how things went based on the little information he had, and would go from there. He didn't need anyone else, after all.

“Do you want to?” Spy just looked at him, his expression unreadable.  
Soldier paused, then nodded. "It'd be an honor."

Spy pushed himself up into a sitting position and promptly fell back down, with a soft cry of pain.  
Heavy cradled the man. "Careful."

“Sorry…” He replied, voice strained from exhaustion, and the pain in his shoulder. He looked at Soldier again. “What was I saying again?” He panted.  
"The occupation," Soldier murmured solemnly.

“Right…” Spy stared up at the ceiling. “I’m not even entirely sure where to begin, really.” He looked back down, at Soldier. “I was young, but…I remember zhe bombs- zhey wiped out ‘ole neighbor’oods- my school, many of my friends were killed. And zhey took our food away. And we ‘ad zhese little stamps zhat we ‘ad to use to get food, instead of using money. Only in certain amounts, zhough, because food was scarce. I remember standing in line, wizh my mozher, for an entire day, just to get a loaf of bread, only to be turned away when zhey ran out.” He paused for a moment, trying to remember more.

Soldier listened silently.

Spy continued, “I remember zhe smell of zhe cars- zhey were different from before. Zhey ‘ad to burn wood or charcoal instead of gasoline, because zhe fuel was in such short supply. And I remember, when I started to grow more, my mozher came ‘ome one day, and ‘ad new shoes for me. Zhe soles were made of wood. Not leazher, like my old ones. I remember zhey were…so uncomfortable… And my…my fazher, ‘e…’e used to drink coffee all zhe time, but…zhey took zhat away, too. So ‘e drank chicory instead, but it…’e never liked it.”

_The bastards..._ Soldier thought. _Messing with a man's coffee..._

He was silent for a while, in thought. “My fazher, ‘e….’e went missing. I never really found out what ‘appened to ‘im. Some told me ‘e was arrested by mistake, wizh a group of Jews, and sent to a…a deazh camp… ozhers said ‘e got taken to Germany, wizh many ozhers, and forced to work for zhem, but…eizher way, I…I never saw ‘im again after zhat….Never really knew what ‘appened to ‘im…Probably never will…”  
Soldier just nodded. "How was your mother?" he squeezed the man's hand comfortingly.

Spy immediately snatched his hand away, and looked at Soldier as if he’d committed some offense. “…she was sick for a long time, and zhen she died. But…not from zhe sickness.” He whispered, clearly growing a little emotional from talking about all of this.

"From...? ...Oh..." Soldier fell silent, with a sigh. "Sorry to hear that, Frenchie. If only we'd gotten there sooner, then maybe she wouldn't have died from--"  
“From an American rifle.” Spy finished, frowning. “She was killed by one of your countrymen during zhe liberation.”

"Wh... What?!" Soldier gasped, eyes wide. ".... WHAT?!" He said it louder as if it would somehow change what Spy had said. Or, perhaps, history, itself.  
Spy was silent, and stared at the floor, refusing to do anything even close to crying.  
"It was a mistake, no doubt!" Soldier cried, voice reaching a frantic pitch. "Even great American heroes can make mistakes sometimes! I'm sorry for your loss!"  
Spy looked up at him, and just shook his head, before turning to lay it down on Heavy’s chest. “I’m tired.” Was all he said in response.

"IT WAS A MISTAKE, WASN'T IT?!" Soldier demanded, grasping the younger man. "An American would never do such a thing!" His horror was tangible. One of his fellow countrymen - a soldier - like him - had harmed - KILLED - an innocent. An innocent they were trying to RESCUE. A WOMAN. A widow with a child! "What happened afterwards?! Did they take care of you?! Those son of a bitches had better of taken you in - given you a warm home and a family that cared about you and food and real shoes, and--"

“You want to know what zhey did to me?!” He shrieked back at him. “What zhose SICK BASTARDS did to me?!” He ripped off his balaclava. Underneath, there was nothing out of the ordinary- just grimy black hair, pale face with angular features…and a scar shaped like a swastika on his right cheek. It was almost hard to make out from the other scars, that looked like scratch marks over top of it, but it was still quite painfully evident. “ZHIS is what zhey did to me.” He continued, seething with rage. “If zhey can do zhis, do you really zhink what zhey did to my mozher was just a mistake?!”

Soldier looked like a horrified child who had just watched his beloved pet kitten get drowned out of sheer malice. "But... Why...?" He asked, trembling, his eyes wide and glassy with tears. "Why...?"  
“Because in zheir eyes, wizh what I did for zhe Germans, I was just as bad as zhem.” His eyes were glassy too, but his face remained stoic.  
"... What?" Soldier didn't understand. He couldn't.

“I…sold myself to zhem. Information, at first, zhen...when I got older...my...'services'.” Spy continued, looking down at the floor, ashamed. “My mozher was sick, and we could not afford medicine….it was zhe only way.”  
"..." Soldier took the helmet off his head and pressed it to his chest, looking at Spy with such a tender display of sorrow, it was almost tangible. Then he tossed the helmet away, and hugged Spy close, sobbing. "I'm sorry..." he whimpered. "I'm sorry..."

Spy sobbed back, but tried not to. “Zhey did it too, you know.” He hiccuped. “Zhe Americans. French, Germans, anyone ‘oo would pay me, I went wizh.” He sniffled, burying his head in the older man’s shoulder. “Fucking ‘ypocrites…”  
"You're better than that... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." For the first time in his life, Soldier didn't feel like an American, anymore. More than that, he didn't want to be.

Spy lay there, limp in the Soldier’s arms, refusing to admit that it was his tears staining the shirt in front of his face. Hiccuping dryly, he looked back at Heavy a little, and asked, “ ‘ave we got any water?"  
Heavy, who had been silent throughout the entire conversation, nodded and smiled. "We do. I go get, da?" He patted the man's hand gingerly. "Thank you for story... You are... very brave. And very strong."

“At zhe moment I certainly don’t feel it.” He rasped into Soldier’s neck. “Can I lay back down, now, please?”  
Soldier nodded and set the man down, tucking him into the blanket. He still needed some time for himself, though, and sat facing away from the Frenchman with his face in his hands.

Spy wiped at his eyes before pulling the balaclava back down over his face. He was silent for a while, and then looked over at the Soldier’s back. “I’m sorry…” He whispered.  
"What? Why...?" the man asked quietly, glancing back at the Frenchman. "It was me... my countrymen that..." He couldn't finish. The words stuck in his throat, ripe with horror.

“It was your countrymen zhat ‘elped, too.” He replied, softly. “An American soldier found me on zhe street, crying over my mozher, and took me to zhe ‘ospital zhey’d set up- ours had been…destroyed, I guess. And…well, zhe doctors zhere, most were English, but…but some were American….I zhink.” Weakly, he pushed himself up on his arms. “I don’t blame your entire country for what one group of soldiers did.” Again he fell back down. "I did....at first, but...not now....not anymore..."

"Stay down, son..." Soldier said quietly, stroking Spy's back tenderly. "You might hurt yourself again."

A pause as he considered what Spy said. A sigh. "And...still... It's... It's not the same. I... Being American doesn't mean anything at all. We're as scummy as the rest of the world. You were treated better by the damn Nazis than us. We were supposed to SAVE you, and instead, we... We hurt you... We hurt your mother, too. Innocents... Civilians!" His voice was filled with emotion. He tried to control it. A gulp. "You... You deserved real heroes."

Spy paused, and looked up at him, with just the smallest grin. “Well…we ‘ad zhe Canadians.”  
A soft chuckle.

Soldier grimaced. Not exactly what he needed to hear at the time. UGH! Simple CANADIANS were more noble than Americans now! He felt himself yearning for a drink.

Spy’s small grin fell when he saw the American was less than pleased, and turned his face back into the blanket. “…sorry. I…I meant for zhat to be a joke…we laugh at zhe Canadians, too, you know, and zheir attempts at being French. I just….never mind.” He turned away entirely, and stared at the wall.

"No..." A small chuckle. "We... We Americans used to... Used to laugh at them kind of being like us, too..." Another chuckle. "Guess mixing nationalities is like mixing paints, huh? If you try to be both one and another, you end up as neither, huh?"

“No, you end up as somezhing new. Somezhing different.” Spy replied, still staring at the wall. “Hopefully not somezhing zhat awful mustardy-brown colour.” He stuck out his tongue in disgust. “…you really need a shower, by zhe way. You…what’s zhe word? Reek? But zhen I probably do too, hein?”

Soldier sighed. "Well, I guess it doesn't really matter, huh? Not like we can do anything about it..." He twiddled his fingers awkwardly. He felt so naked and vulnerable without his helmet. But he wouldn't put it back on. He refused. Someone of his country had hurt an innocent. Probably more than just Spy and his Mom. That was nothing to be proud of. But still... All his life, he had been an... An AMERICAN. What else could he be? What else was left for him? He rubbed his temples, head aching even more than his wounded shoulder.

“Give any more zhought to your plan wizh zhe boat?” Spy asked, his voice taking on that edge of sleep again.  
"Maybe later..." Soldier murmured softly, looking down at his dusty shoes. "Don't go to sleep yet. Heavy still ain't come back with your water."  
“I know…” He yawned, and started to fall asleep anyway. “Did you…zhink about going zhrough zhe gulf instead?” He yawned again. “Instead of walking to zhe Atlantic, I mean.”  
"... What...?" Soldier blinked, looking back at the man.

“Florida’s a peninsula, yes? Sticks out right in zhe ocean, and zhe keys are just souzh of it, you said.” He shifted, and rolled onto his back, wincing when it hurt his shoulder. “Why not just save zhe land travel and get a boat ‘ere in Lousiana? Get zhere zhat way?”  
Soldier thought on this for a few moments. "Hmmm.... That's... That's a--"

Heavy arrived again with the water. "Careful - is still hot."  
Spy tried to sit up again for it, but just sighed, and let his head flop back on the blanket, exhausted. “Oh, just dump it on my face, I’ll suck it off my mask when I wake up.” He let his head roll to the side and his eyes close.

Heavy chuckled and stuck a straw between the man's lips. "Careful. Sip slow."  
Spy complied, wincing a little at the initial sip. It really was hot. But he let it cool for a few minutes, and then sipped at it again, eventually finishing the mug. “Zhank you.” He said to Heavy, eyes barely open at all now.  
"Goodnight. Get some rest." Heavy nodded at Soldier, who still seemed to be mulling things over. "Be taking things easy." He left again.

“So you were…saying…about zhe…boat zhing…” Spy slowly trailed off, unable to even turn his head toward the other man anymore. “Is it really night already?” He asked, quietly.  
"No. But you really should sleep more. It'll do you some good."  
“Why am I so tired?” He exhaled, genuinely confused. “What’s wrong wizh me?”  
"You lost a lot of blood. Your body's more preoccupied with replacing it than anything else right now."

“I suppose…” he trailed off again, and was completely silent.  
After a while, Soldier went back to snuggling the thin, younger man. He held him close, as if the rest of the world somehow felt more real with him around.

Several days passed, and Soldier continued staying with Spy with no complaint, keeping the Frenchman warm at night, and talking with him and feeding him whenever he needed it. It was thanks to the masked man that their new plan of action - sailing across the gulf instead of walking to the Atlantic - was formed. Soldier never put on his helmet again and tossed aside his dog tags - opting instead to wear a worn straw hat he found in one of the back rooms. Everything went fine... for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might have found out what was making the chapters look so weird and spaced out. I'll probably go back and fix the formatting for the rest of them if this actually fixes the problem. We're almost at the end of the "Church" arc, so if you're hoping for a little more action and a little less standing around and debating, that's coming up soon.


	10. Moving Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soldier begins having complications due to his injured shoulder, and the group is forced to leave the safety of their shelter to try to seek out someone who might be able to help him.

When Spy woke up that day, he found Soldier was feverish to the touch and sweating profusely. A quiet whimper from the once very proud man.

“Soldier?” He whispered, concerned. “Soldier, can you ‘ear me?”

"Yes..." Soldier hissed between clenched teeth. There was no telling how long he'd been awake. His entire face was contorted in pain.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong? Why are you so…what’s wrong?” Spy was at a loss. He didn’t know what was making the other man so sweaty and warm, and apparently in pain, and hell if he knew how to fix it either. “Should I get ‘elp?”  
"Yes. Please..." the man whispered. A tear streamed down his cheek.  
“Okay…okay…” He nodded, growing ever more worried. “I’ll go…get ‘elp.”

Weakly, he struggled to his hands and knees, and crawled towards the door of the closet. Trying the doorknob for the first time since he’d been put in here, he was surprised to find it wouldn’t work. “EY! EY, is anyone out zhere?” He called out. “Soldier’s ‘urt or sick, or somezhing! Please, ‘elp!”

He paused, panting, worried when he couldn’t hear the sounds of anyone moving around outside. “Why is zhe door locked? What’s going on out zhere? EY! Can anyone ‘ear me?”

Someone shook Sniper awake.

“E, wot? Huh?” Sniper blinked his eyes, and jerked his head up. “ ‘s goin’ on?” He mumbled, sleepily. “The bloody hell did you wake me for?”  
"It's that Spy fellah," Scout whispered. "He's making noise for some reason... I.... I got spooked," he admitted, feeling a little bit silly.

“Go tell the big guy, then. ‘m bloody tired.” Sniper turned away on the mattress. “ ‘s his problem now, not mine.”  
"You tell 'im! I ain't wakin' him up!" Fear shone plainly in the kid's eyes.

Sniper thought about it for a minute, and then, with an exasperated sigh, he rose from the mattress and began to trudge into the sanctuary, where Heavy was asleep in one of the chairs. “Oi. Big guy. Wake up.” He kicked the other man’s foot lightly. “Wake up.”

"If Tank is not attacking, I do not care," Heavy muttered in reply. He rolled over.  
“It’s Spy. Think he’s startin’ to turn.”

Heavy was up immediately. He looked at Sniper warily. "You.... You are sure?"  
“Scout said he’s makin’ noise and stuff. Never done that before, ‘as he?” Sniper crossed his arms and looked at the floor. “…Soldier’s still in there with him, ain’t he?”

"Yes." Heavy had a sinking feeling in his gut. A sigh. "Bring shotgun to me."  
Sniper nodded, and had the gun waiting for the larger man when he began the descent into the church’s basement. He followed behind with his knife, just in case.

Heavy paused by the door, and called, "Spy? Is everything okay?"  
“ ‘eavy? Oh zhank god, I zhought…” Spy’s voice called out from the other side. “Somezhing’s…somezhing’s wrong wizh Soldier. Please, you ‘ave to ‘elp ‘im.”

"Spy?" Heavy gasped. He hadn't expected the man to use actual words. He shoved the gun into Sniper's hands, and unlocked the door, rushing inside. "Something is wrong? What is it? Take me to Soldier."  
“ ‘e’s over zhere.” Spy pointed. “ ‘e as a fever, or somezhing, I don’t know.” He slumped against the wall, too tired to move anywhere right now.  
“You don’t know, huh? Right…” Sniper grumbled, his knife in plain view as he stood outside the door. Spy looked over at him, confused, but said nothing.

Heavy went to examine the man wriggling about in pain on the floor. He felt the man's forehead, and flinched. "Is too warm! Soldier! What is wrong???"  
Soldier looked up at him, cheeks streaming with tears. A sob. "M...My.... arm... It's t.... too much...."  
Alarmed, Heavy removed the man's shirt, and groaned at the sight.  
The man's shoulder was inflamed and gushing with an odd, foul-smelling puss. It was badly infected and needed to be treated right away.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Heavy scolded lightly, wrapping it up once more.  
Soldier just shook his head, apparently meaning "I don't know."

Slowly, Spy crawled his way over to the other two. “What is…wrong wit ‘im?” He panted. “Can you fix it?”  
Heavy shook his head. "Am not Doctor. We cannot stay here any longer. Have to find someone who can help him."

“What?” Spy was shocked. “But ‘ow…’ow will we get anywhere? ‘e’s seriously sick, I can barely crawl- let alone run. We…we’ll never make it.”  
He was trembling just thinking about it.  
Heavy thought. "I can carry you both. You together are same as S.... Sasha." He eyed Spy again. "Maybe lighter. But I cannot wield gun holding two people at once."

“But we…you…” Spy looked around nervously, and his eyes landed on Sniper. “Zhere must be some ozher way, yes? A…a ve’icule, or somezhing. Some way we can get away safely?”  
Sniper merely frowned at him, and shrugged.  
Spy looked down at the ground, defeated and terrified.

"Not that I know of," Heavy muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I have looked everywhere."  
Soldier gave a small cry of pain, shaking silently on the floor.

Spy paused in thought. “What about up?” He looked up to the ceiling, seemingly formulating a plan. “It’s risky, but…but it might work.”  
"Where would we go after that?" Heavy asked.

Silence for a moment, while Spy thought. “Bring me a phonebook.”  
Heavy blinked. "I... I do not think I have one..."

“Zhere must be one somewhere.” Spy crawled to the door, but Sniper blocked his way. “Move, please?” Sniper didn’t budge. He just stood there, frowning with distrust.  
Heavy glared at Sniper, as if saying, _"This isn't the time!"_ Then, he said, "Do not worry, Spy. Sniper will get one for us, yes?" Another glare at the uptight Aussie.

Sniper glared back, silent for a moment, and then left. A few minutes later, he was back with a very old, very weathered copy of a phonebook, and plopped it into Spy’s lap. “Wot d’you plan on doin’ with that, now?”

Quickly flipping to the yellow pages, Spy replied, “Looking for listings of pharmacies, ‘ospitals, medical clinics…Zhere must be someone at one of zhem ‘oo can ‘elp us.”  
"And wot d'we do without a phone?"

"It has the address next to phone numbers," Heavy pointed out. "Maybe if we go to one, will find a trail leading us to another. Is better than wandering around, da?"  
Spy looked at him, and nodded. “Don’t suppose zhere’s a map in zhis zhing, is zhere?” He flipped through the pages, but found nothing.

Heavy raised his hand. “I have map - is no problem.” He pulled it out of his pocket to save the time it would take to write him fetching the silly thing.  
Conveniently, he pulled out a pen as well, and Spy began marking out their current location, and the various medical centers around the city.

“Okay, so zhere’s…” he counted, “A clinic, and a pharmacy, bozh wizhin walking distance. Zhere’s an ‘ospital a little furzher away, too, but we’d ‘ave to go zhrough zhe park again. What do you zhink?” He looked up at the men.  
Sniper just glared back. Chatty today, isn’t he?

Heavy willed Sniper's head to burst into flames from his gaze alone.

_It's not very effective..._

Heavy exhaled through his nose carefully. "Spy, give us one moment, please."  
The Frenchman nodded, and crawled his way back over to Soldier, to check on him.

Heavy <strike>dragged</strike> pulled Sniper to another corner. "If you do not stop being mean to Spy, we will have problem," he hissed angrily.  
“Oi, lay off! ‘m just being cautious! No reason to go flinging me about like a great old ox!” Sniper retorted.

Spy looked over at them, concerned. "What's going on? Why are you two fighting?"  
"There's being cautious, and there's being mean! STOP IT!" Heavy snapped, barely able to control his temper.  
“Why are you fighting? What’s wrong?” Spy called out again.

Sniper, shocked by the larger man’s anger, just backed up into a wall. “Oi. Back off, mate.” He held up his knife. “Don’t make me use this on you.”  
"You act right, and maybe I won't have to use THIS on YOU!" Heavy threatened, balling a fist. "Spy is trying to help Soldier, and you just continue being no help at all!"  
“I AM bloody trying to help, but none of you lot would let me end the problem and blast his fucking head in!” He shouted back.

“_…what?_” Spy stared at them, utterly shocked and terrified.

Heavy sighed. "Spy, I have been keeping something from you..." Heavy admitted quietly. "Sniper thinks that you are turning into powerful infected slowly - because you are carrier and not immune. He wants to... to kill you. Soldier and I have kept him from doing so."

“What?! But I…I don’t…I’m not a carrier! I told you zhat! I’m immune just like zhe rest of you! Why would…why wouldn’t you tell zhem?” Spy was trembling now, fearing that all of the men in the room would suddenly try to kill him now.

Heavy blinked. "You said you were carrier, yes?"  
"NO!"  
"... No?"

Spy shook his head. "No. I told you zhat my team ZHOUGHT I was zhe carrier, but I wasn't! It was Medic zhe 'old time! I told you zhis when we first met, for god's sake!"  
"You... Did...?" Heavy's expression grew puzzled. "I... I must have... gotten confused..."

“So…you’re not a bloody carrier?” Even Sniper was confused now.  
“No.” Spy replied, still trembling. “I never was, and I never ‘ave been. Medic did blood tests on all of us. ‘e found out ‘e was zhe carrier just as zhe idiots zhrew me into zhe street to die.”

"They didn't take you back?!" Scout piped up, incredulous.  
“…zhey died. Trying to prove zheir stupid little point. Zhe rest took me back in, and Medic treated my injuries before ‘e…before ‘e left.”

Heavy looked at Sniper, then at Spy apologetically. "Was my fault whole time... I am sorry to you both. Must have gotten, er… Lost in translate."

Soldier moaned weakly, reminding them he was still very alive and in a lot of pain.  
“Apology accepted. Now what are we going to do about ‘im?” Spy gestured to Soldier. “Zhree options. Clinic, pharmacy, or ‘ospital. What’s it going to be?”

Heavy thought. "Clinic. Most hospitals overrun by previous attempts to cure Infection."  
“My money’d be on pharmacy.” Sniper piped up. “They’re more likely to have supplies we’d need, even if there ends up bein’ no one there.”  
Heavy nodded. "Very very good point."

“I don’t know.” Spy looked down at Soldier again. “We are more likely to find a doctor or somezhing at a clinic, aren’t we? And zhat’s what we need- someone ‘oo knows ‘ow to…’ow to ‘elp ‘im. Supplies only go so far wizh limited knowledge.”

Sniper looked over at Scout. "Wot d'you think, kid?"  
Scout shuddered. "Iunno... Let's get supplies at the pharmacy then check out the clinic."

“Zhey’re too far apart.” Spy shook his head. “One is nord, zhe ozher is sout.” He looked at the map again. “Per’aps…maybe I should look at zhe ozher places around zhem. See if zhere’s a grocery store near zhe clinic, or a place where we can get ammunition. Let zhat be zhe deciding factor, yes?” Without waiting for an answer, he began scouring the yellow pages for the information.

After a few minutes, he’d effectively charted down the entire city’s industrial and commercial district. “Alright.” He handed the map to Heavy. “Anyone want to take over zhe decision? I need to rest my eyes.” He flopped back on the blanket, shutting his eyes against the light that seeped in through the open door.

Heavy looked over everything. "Pharmacy has weapons shop across street. Makes sense that people would go there."  
“Which means it might already be cleaned out.” Sniper pointed out. "Might go there and find nothin. What's near the clinic?"

"Food places, too. All are most likely gone, or can be stashed in one location. Why bring supplies very far when you can build fortress and hide away until all passes?"  
“True.” Sniper nodded. “Think trekking to th’hospital’s worth it?”  
Heavy looked. "Businesses. Not much we can make use of."

“So the pharmacy’s probably our best bet, eh?” Sniper asked as he leaned over, looking at the map.  
Heavy nodded. "Yes. Let's go before night falls. Is harder to see enemies then."

Spy sat back up. “Do we ‘ave any Sniper rifles?” He looked over at Heavy.  
“Don’t have mine, ‘s all I know.” Sniper replied.

"Hunting Rifle is closest we have. Is not powerful like Sniping rifle, but has scope and is ranged," Heavy muttered. "Not good idea anyway. Spy and Soldier cannot shoot and I will have to carry them. No time for long-ranged shooting."

“It is if someone stays be’ind.” Spy replied.  
Sniper was quick to cut in. “Oh, bloody hell, no, mate. Y’ain’t leavin’ my ass behind! No fucking w--”  
“I meant me.” Spy interrupted.

"No," Soldier hissed from the ground. He glared at Spy with a frightful amount of ferocity. "Y...You're coming with us."  
“I didn’t say I wasn’t.” He looked down at him. “I can go up zhe belfry, give you cover fire. Once you’re safe- zhe buildings are all close togezher ‘ere. I can just climb my way down zhere. It will be ‘ard…but…I can do it.”

Soldier didn't like the idea at all, but had lost the strength to continue saying so.  
“What do you say?” Spy looked at the others. “ ‘ave we got a plan?”  
Heavy muttered. "Not best idea... but good enough."  
Sniper nodded. “Y’know ‘ow t’fire one of those things, spook?”

“I do.” Spy replied. “But I…may need some ‘elp getting upstairs.” He smiled, embarrassed.  
“Leave it t’me.” Sniper strode over easily and helped Spy to his feet. The Frenchman hung heavily on his side. “Where’s that rifle, mate?” he asked Heavy.  
Heavy tossed it over, and the Aussie skillfully caught it with one hand.

Sniper and Spy left, setting the Frenchman up in the open belfry, leaving Heavy and Scout to gather supplies and prepare Soldier for the trip.  
Soldier had been fed a few pain pills so that he would be silent and not attract any more infected.

Heavy too the man in his arms and nodded. "Let us go."  
“Good luck.” Spy whispered down, from the belfry, as he propped up the rifle, and kept an eye out for the infected on the path to the pharmacy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, I guess all the action comes next time. The next part of the fanfic will take place in the Pharmacy, and I think it's the one we spend the most time in overall, though I could be wrong. Hope you guys are enjoying the drama thus far. 
> 
> (Also, I know that in the comics, they specified that the only immune survivors ARE carriers, but I'd imagine that it'd be hard for everyone else without the same access to genetic tools and population samples as the government to know that.)


	11. The Pharmacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group hurry to get to the pharmacy to ensure Soldier's wounds are seen, and bump into yet another familiar face. But Spy is still stranded at the Church. How will they reach him in time?

Spy efficiently took out a group that gathered near the door with only a few shots.   
A few more shuffled towards the church to investigate the noise.

A thin, bandaged arm stuck out of the door, and threw a small, beeping device through the air. The infected followed it to where it fell, several yards away, only to be blown apart by the blast it left. Then the door of the safehouse flew open, and the party burst forth, led by Scout. Sniper took up the rear, and shut the door behind them.

Heavy cradled Solder in his large arms, keeping a sharp eye out and warning his friend whenever something suspicious moved.

Spy quickly scanned the streets, and took out any infected that got too close to his friends. The crack of the rifle went out from the tower, drawing the infected towards it, and away from the four wandering the streets.

Heavy snarled once he saw the infected shambling over to Spy's hiding position. He couldn't fire guns, but still stocked up on grenades. He carefully lit a Molotov, and chucked it at the shuffling horde, sending most of them running about and screaming and agony, completely harmless.

Sniper hacked away at the few that approached, and Scout whacked the remainder with his bat. Up ahead of them, half a dozen ran for them, and in less than a minute, were taken down by Spy’s rifle. The pharmacy was drawing ever nearer.

Heavy worried constantly about Spy, but he had to attempt to get Soldier help first. The man had gone rigid in this grasp, barely breathing for the pain.

After several minutes of running, the pharmacy was within sight. “ALRIGHT! THERE IT IS!” Scout cried out. Sniper inwardly cursed, and began hacking away at the infected that rushed towards them now.

Heavy lobbed another jar - this one a bile bomb, then followed it up with a Molotov so that the Zombies were drawn into the very fire itself.

An ear piercing screech cut through the air. Heavy froze. _Hunter!_

Sniper screamed as the creature pounced on him. Scout began beating the thing with his bat, but its claws swatted him away, and resumed its assault on the older man.

Heavy stepped in, holding onto Soldier tightly, and slammed the thing in the base of its neck, severing the spinal cord.

Immediately, it fell dead, and Sniper scrambled to his feet, clinging to Scout for support. An infected behind the larger man was taken down with another rifle bullet, and they all started running for the pharmacy doors.

Heavy pulled Sniper along. "MOVE!" he cried, tugging the man behind him. "We must run! Hurry!"

More shots rang out from the belfry, taking down their pursuers. Then several rang out from much nearer. “SCHNELL! MOVE!” A man atop the roof with a rifle cried out to them, as he gave them more cover fire.

Scout stopped for a second, staring up at the man with wide eyes. "Wh...What th--"

"HE SAID MOVE!!!" Heavy roared, shoving the boy ahead once more. Scout scrambled towards the tower, still gaping at the person helping them.

Sniper was the one who reached the door first, and he held it open for the rest. “C’MON! C’MON!” He shouted, “GET BLOODY GOING!”

Scout rushed in, then Heavy with Soldier in his arms. He laid the man down on the first flat surface he could find, grabbed a shotgun and a few more grenades, and declared, "I'm going back for Spy."

“Don’t you bloody dare.” Sniper closed the door, locking it securely, and stood blocking the other man’s path. “He said he’d make it here himself. Let him. We’re not losing you to that mess out there.” He jerked his thumb towards the outside, where the horde was still screaming in hunger and bloodthirst.

Heavy fired past the iron bars, snarling. "He deserves better than this. He gave up himself for us and for Soldier! I am not letting him die!"

“He’s sitting up in the bloody belfry! He’s FINE!” Sniper still blocked his path. “Sit your ass down! You’re not going anywhere until that horde settles down.”

“Hey, uh…where’s that guy from the roof?” Scout piped up, looking around the barricaded pharmacy for their helper.

Heavy huffed, glared at Sniper for a half second, then turned his gaze to Scout. "Am not sure. Should we go look?"

“No need.” Their target sauntered down an aisle, rifle slung over his shoulder. Despite his situation, he still seemed rather well-dressed. “Is anyvone injured?”

"Yes, but not from just now," Heavy replied, motioning to Soldier, who was cringing on the ground. "Our friend has bad infection in his shoulder. We do not know how to treat."

Medic looked over at him, and nodded. “Bring him into zhe back room. I vill treat him.” He paused for a moment. “You are…all immune, yes?”

".... Yes. We think so," Heavy replied.

“Gut.” He nodded, gesturing to the back room. “Come along, zhen.” He called over his shoulder.

Scout followed the man, as if considering something.

Sniper stayed near the door, keeping an eye out in case the Spy somehow learned how to fly and landed in front of the door. In times of apocalyptic proportion, who knew what could happen?

Soldier couldn't remember what happened immediately after. Next thing he knew, he was on a table, feeling sleepy as hell, and not knowing where he was.

A shape moved next to him, and he groggily felt for his shovel.

“Ah. Look who is avake.” The shape replied, chipper. “Mein großer Kumpel! Your Soldier is avake!” he called out for Heavy.

"Oh! Very good!" Heavy cried, grinning as he looked at the groggy form on the table.

Soldier moaned weakly, then winced at how pitiful it sounded.   
"Where's Frenchie?" A pause. "What happened? Where are we?"

“You are in my pharmacy.” Medic replied, readying a syringe. “And your friend is asleep in zhe next room.” He lied, pushing the needle in the Soldier’s arm. “As you should be. You need rest, or else your infection vill get vorse. Now sleep.”

"Wait, wait, wait..." Soldier huffed, trying to sit up.

Heavy made an odd noise and tried to press him back down.

"Wait... wait..." Raspy breathing. "We should be together. I wanna be in the same room as him."

“Your infection may become viral, Herr Soldier.” Medic lied again. “You don’t vant to risk infecting poor Spy, do you?”

Soldier paused, and shook. "....No..." But it.... He felt a little empty, really. He felt like he NEEDED to see Spy. To listen and talk to him some more. To share his strength, while at the same time... gaining something of his own...?

But not at the risk of hurting Spy. Nothing was worth that. He slumped down the bed again with a sigh.

“Good. Sleep.” Medic soothed, pulling the blanket up over him. “You vill see your friend later. Now rest.”

A tired nod. Soldier pulled the blankets up to his face, pulled the pillow over his head and drifted off. He was too tired to even snore.

Medic silently gestured to the next room, indicating for Heavy to follow as he left.

Heavy did, blinking. "Something is wrong, Doctor?"

“Vhere is your friend? Zhe Frenchman of vhich he speaks.” Medic asked, quietly, as he shut the door between their room and the Soldier’s. “Is he…did he turn?”

"No. Had to stay behind while we took him for care. He is... up there. At top of church tower." Worry. "I hope no infected sees him, but he insisted..."

“Is he able to run fast? Can he make it here on his own?”

"He is... badly wounded. Almost as bad as Soldier. Is no way he can make it. I want to go back for him."

Medic paused, thinking, and then shook his head. “It is too big of a risk. You should stay here, at least until zhe morning. Zhe infected may settle down by zhen.” He walked into the hall, and began to ascend the stairs to the rooftop.

"He is out there alone without food or water or help!" Heavy cried.

“Then leave him entirely!” Medic replied, from the staircase. “If he is as bad off as you say, he vill be dead soon anyvay.”

Heavy bristled. "No. Never. I will not."

Medic sighed. “Come vit me.” He gestured up the stairs.

Suspicious, Heavy did as he was asked.

The doctor opened the door to the roof. It was a two-storey, stone building, and they were too high up here for the infected to reach, aside from the occasional Hunter or Smoker, but they were not out tonight, it seemed.

“Look at it all.” Medic gestured to the horde of undead still crawling over themselves in their attempts to get in the pharmacy. “To go after one man- one zhat vill likely die in hours anyvay- in zhis disaster…it is death.”

"My goal is not to live," Heavy murmured. "My goal is to save as many as possible. If I let Spy die, I hurt Soldier, too."

“Ve vait until morning.” Medic restated. “Zhen, it vill be light, zhe infected vill haff calmed down, and…” he trailed off, staring off into the distance. “GET DOWN!” He hissed, pulling Heavy to the floor, “It is a Hunter!”

A warning shriek that signalled that creature had, indeed, spotted them. Heavy just growled softly to himself. A waste of time. For him, Hunters were dispatched as easily as yipping puppies.

Medic slowly crawled back to the door, where his shotgun sat, and cocked it in readiness. “Get back inside.” He hissed, “Before it att-“

He was cut off by another shriek, and the sight of the creature flying through the sky.

Heavy quickly jumped to his feet and slammed the flying monster in the nose with his fist, stopping it dead in its tracks.

Medic stared down at the corpse, and whipped his head up. “Stay still. Zhere is anozher vone.” He raised his scope up, and trained it on the figure on the rooftop across from them. “I don’t think it…vhat on earzh is it vearing?”

Heavy asked if he could see it.

Medic handed the scope over, still watching the figure from a distance.

Heavy peered through.

On the rooftop was a strange creature, its white shirt and blue pants soaked in blood. It crawled, painfully slowly, across the rooftop, and looked absolutely exhausted.

"Th... That's him! That is our Spy!" Heavy gasped.

“Vhat?” Medic snatched back the scope. “How on earzh…?” He put down the gun, absolutely stymied as to how he’d gotten up there in the first place.

He picked up the gun again, and looked at the crawling figure. “…he’s stopped moving.” He muttered.

"He must be dying! I must go quickly!" Heavy fretted, turning to go get some guns.

“VAIT!” Medic called out after him. “How do you plan to get up zhere, exactly?”

Heavy thought. "Is a ladder in Church... Maybe I can reach him with it."

“You vill valk back all zhat vay? Are you insane?” Medic looked back at him, and then turned back, to formulate a plan. “Zhere is a ladder downstairs. Ve can use it to make a bridge across to the next building, and zhen climb to him from zhere.” He paused, looking through the scope again. “You’re sure he is immune?”

A pause. "No. But I cannot let him go until I am sure he is not."

A sigh. “Get zhe ozhers. Get zhe ladder. If ve do it qvickly, und carefully, ve might be able to get to him before zhe infected do.”

Heavy nodded and went to round up Scout and Sniper. Scout was a little wary, but wanted to see what Sniper would say first.

“No way in bloody hell” was his response. “I’m all for stickin’ together, but it’s too damn risky. Might as well just jump straight into the horde.”

"He will die out there on his own!" Heavy pleaded. "We have Pipe bombs and vomit jars and fire! The horde will not be a problem! Especially on rooftops!"

“What about smokers, mate?” He frowned. “One of them tags us from the ground, we’re a bloody goner.”

"If we stick in tight enough group, we can break tongues that have others quickly."

Sniper sighed, and looked out the door at the horde. “It’s still pretty risky, mate. I don’t like it.”

"I do not, either... But I cannot leave him to die because of fear. He helped us knowing he might die. I vill do same for him."

Another sigh, and then a long pause. “Alroight. Let’s do it, then. Out and back in, quick as we can, yeah?”

"Yeah!" Scout whooped, jumping to his feet.   
He grabbed his kukri and all three bounded up the stairs to the roof, where Medic was still watching the Spy.

“He still hasn’t moved, but it looks like he is breathing, at least.” He said, taking this eye away from the scope.

"We will be needing cover fire again," Heavy told the man, attaching several pipe bombs to his waist. "Look out for Smokers especially."

“I haff already spotted two, but I cannot get a clear shot.” He replied.

“Switch up, mate. Snipin’s wot I do.” Sniper grinned, and took up the Medic’s position, handing him the ladder they’d brought. “Good luck.” With that, he turned his eye to the scope, and fired, taking out one of the smokers already.

Heavy nodded with a smile.   
Scout seemed a little more nervous, but just shot Medic a cocky smile and flashed him a thumbs-up. "Hold onta ya britches, man!" he laughed.   
“Yes…I vill be sure to.” the elderly scientist replied with just the faintest hint of discomfort in his voice. Ah well… Nothing ventured, nothing gained...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't have any time to look this over before uploading since it's pretty late already and I'm just getting home. See you tomorrow.


	12. Rooftop Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heavy, Scout, and the new teammate Medic risk everything to rescue Spy.

Medic laid the ladder out, stretching it from their roof to the next, as a sort of makeshift bridge. “Scout, you first, zhen Heavy, zhen I vill go last.” He held it with both hands to steady it.

Scout nodded. "Yeah, that sounds goo-- wait, whoa, _what?_ I gotta be first?!"

"MOVE." Heavy thumped the boy hard on his back, and he scrambled away, squawking.

Once he’d reached the other side, Medic told him to hold the ladder as well, for Heavy. “Alright, mein Kumpel, your turn.”

Heavy clambered over slowly, hoping it would hold his weight. It did fine.

Medic waited until they both had a good grip of the ladder before he made his own way across, and the three began making their way along the rooftops, towards the unconscious Spy. The common infected didn't seem too concerned down on the ground. The three didn't make much noise or attract much attention.

At one point, about thirty feet from Spy’s location, the group reached a gap in the rooftops. The jump was about eight feet across, but it was a LONG way down, and one would land on the unforgiving concrete VERY hard if they missed it.

Heavy paused and peered across. Even without double-jumping, Scout could probably make it, but how would he make it with Spy on his back?

Medic was thinking the same thing. Quickly, he went back across the rooftops, retrieved their ladder, and put it down across the gap.

"This looks fuckin' risky, man..." Scout grumbled, peering over the edge.

“Oh, don’t be such a- HRRGH!” Medic was suddenly cut off by a long, prehensile tongue wrapped around his neck, dragging him backwards, almost off the rooftop.

Scout dashed forward, quick as a whip, and sliced the thing with a machete, then started firing into the distance with his pistol. The horde on the ground shifted.

Panting, Medic fell to his knees on the shingles. “Go…go get him. Hurry. Ve must go, NOW.”

"Yes!" Heavy turned to Scout. "Go get Spy - I will back you up, but you go faster! Bring him to me and I will carry him the rest of way!"

“But what if he’s like…one of them, or somethin’?” Scout gestured down to the horde, anxiety evident in his face.

"He’s not - just very very sick."

“But…Ah, screw it.”

After psyching himself up a bit, the Scout bounded across the rooftop. He carefully dashed across the shingles, coming to a rest beside Spy. Carefully, he shook the man, but received no response. “Awright then. Come on, Princess, up we go.” He muttered, hoisting the man up over his back, and took off towards the others.

Heavy quickly took the slight Frenchman, wanting to feel his pulse, but knowing there was no time. The horde was really starting to stir up now, and several of them were starting to scale the wall, hissing and shrieking.

“AHH!” Scout shrieked, leaping the distance between the buildings. “FUCK MAN! HOLY SHIT!” He began running, back towards the pharmacy.

Medic followed behind, still carrying the ladder.  
Heavy tossed a pipe bomb in the opposite direction, and sprinted behind them, wheezing.

A rifle shot rang out, landing a few feet behind Heavy, where a Hunter’s brain suddenly seemed to explode from its head. Ahead, Medic quickly laid down the ladder. This time, Scout did not hesitate in going across. Medic waited for Heavy, though, before he went across himself.

Suddenly, though, Medic was covered in a thick, foul smelling liquid. Heavy screamed, firing at the boomer behind the man as he crossed the ladder, and nearly fell. The infected were stirred to a frenzy.

Medic scrambled across after him, nearly falling off the ladder in the process. Quickly, the Sniper pulled it back, and the group rushed off the roof, and inside, to the relative safety of their pharmacy.

The horde slammed against the door, trying to reach inside, howling with anger and frustration. Heavy simply hacked at anything that came near the bars with a machete.

Medic picked up the Spy, and carried him down to the medical lab where he’d treated Soldier. Sniper went downstairs to check on the front door, which was still secure. Scout seemed frozen to the spot.

The boy winced. "H...He's all covered in puke n' junk! He didn't even try to wipe it off!" A shudder.

Medic immediately placed the younger man down on a table, and felt his pulse. He also stuck a thermometer into his mouth. The infected usually had very high heart rates and temperatures. If he was turning, Medic would know.

Spy, though, was nearly ice-cold, and his pulse, though beating rather hard, was still quite slow. He’d clearly exhausted himself from the effort of climbing over here, and had gotten chilled to the bone from the cold air up on the rooftops. The thermometer in his mouth twitched back and forth as his teeth chattered almost undetectably.

Medic nodded to himself. Heavy had, indeed been correct in his assumption. Quickly, he steamed some towels on a hot plate and wrapped the man's head in them, then began to take the rest of his vitals.

It was painfully clear that Spy was suffering from massive blood loss - a transfusion would be in order. Medic, himself had type O negative blood, but there was no way to determine if Spy was in the same blood group- not in this short amount of time. But there was no other choice. He’d be dead if Medic didn’t do something. Immediately, he hooked his own veins up to Spy’s, and began to operate to the best of his abilities.

The Frenchman whimpered softly as the doctor began cutting open his stitches and re-stitching them, properly, himself. He was far too tired to awaken, fully, though, but the soft cries of pain grew louder with each pass of the needle. Soldier began to stir awake on his table.

Spy gasped when the needle pricked a sensitive nerve on his shoulder blade, and whimpered again, eyelashes fluttering now.

Medic couldn't risk adding any sedatives. The man's heart rate was already so slow... He did, however, apply a local anesthetic to numb any immediate pain.

It worked to numb him, but slowly, Spy began to come around. His eyes opened weakly, then half-closed again, to block out the offending bright light. He mumbled, softly to himself, in French, as he tried to establish his location.

"Go back to sleep if you can. I'm vorking."

Spy squinted, and looked up at him. “…oo are you?” He whispered.

A smile. "I am a Medic - much like zhe ones you undoubtedly fought beside. I'm even BLU like you are. But I vas positioned up north. I came down here to escape zhe vinter chill zhat vill soon start to make its vay across zhe land."

“But…’ow did you…” He looked around at the room, eyes blinking rapidly to adjust to the light. “…where are we? Did I…I made it? ...'ow?"

"Zhat Heavy is a very loyal friend. He kept insisting to go back for you until ve complied."

Spy’s eyes widened. “Wh-where is ‘e? Where are zhe ozhers? Are zhey….are zhey okay?”

"Yes."

“Where are zhey?”

“Somevhere.... else."

Spy stared at him, nervous, and then frowned. “What ‘ave you done wit zhem?”

"Nozhing! This safehouse is two stories large. Zhey’re about somevhere. Eating, perhaps resting…"

“So zhey’re…zhey’re alright? No one is dead? Or ‘urt?”

"Not really. Now, stop asking questions, bitte. I don't vant to make an error."

“I’m sorry, I…I just worry, you know?” Spy laid his head back on the table, and closed his eyes. “I’ll be quiet now.”

"Good. Now if you behave, maybe I'll let you be vit your large, RED-blooded American Freund for zhe night." A good-humoured smirk. Soldier was awake now and was staring at the two quietly from his bed, oblivious to the connotations of using that particular word, and why it would be amusing to the German.

“Zhe Soldier?” Spy opened his eyes and looked at Medic again. “Is ‘e alright? Did you treat ‘is injuries yet? Will ‘e be okay? Is ‘e…I’m sorry. I don’t meant to distract you, I just…” He sighed, closed his eyes, and laid his head back on the table again.

A raspy chuckle from the table. "Yeah, Frenchie - I'm alright. Just worry about your own ass for a while."

Spy turned his head in surprise, and sighed, with a relieved little smile. “I’m glad you’re alright. I lost sight of you all when…it’s not important.” He shook his head. “I’m glad you all made it.”

Soldier just chuckled again. "Nah, we made it okay. Glad to see you did, too."

Spy nodded, still with that nervous smile. “Ouais…it was…climbing is a lot ‘arder, wizh my leg zhe way it is, but…yes, I made it…okay…"

"Good." Soldier rolled over and tried to sleep some more.

“…goodnight.” Spy whispered, and stared back up at the ceiling, nervous as to how he’d explain new bandages and chemical burns on his flesh. Hopefully that inexplicable creature that shot out the pool of burning acid hadn't done too much damage to him and he could recover soon. He didn’t want Soldier to worry- not when he was so injured. It would only make things worse.

Heavy lumbered down the stairs, tossing away his blood-soaked machete, and patted Medic on the shoulder, seeing him exit the 'Medical Bay.'

"Is Spy okay now? On path to recovery?"

“Ja. He should be much better, now zhat he has some blood in him.” Medic nodded, taking a last peek in to see that all was well. “I vas vorried, for a bit, zhough. Zhose burn vounds on his arms and belly vere razher bad.”

"I did not see it. Must have been too scared." A laugh.

Medic chuckled back, though lightly. “Ja, zhey looked…fresh. He’d probably gotten attacked by some... new type of infect on zhe vay over here. He’s lucky to be alive, really.” He turned into the supply room, and cracked open a bottle of water. “Vat if it had been a Hunter? Few take one on alone, and live to tell about it.”

Heavy scoffed. "Hunters are little babies. Am more afraid of Boomers than them."

Medic frowned. None of the infected were to be taken lightly, especially not ones that attacked so quickly, and…  
He cleared his throat. “Ja. Zhat reminds me. I must go shower.” Medic chuckled. “Check on zhem in a bit, vill you? I am going to sleep after I vash up.”

Heavy nodded. "Goodbye, Doctor. I will look after them. Thank you for your help."

“Jawohl.” Medic nodded, and marched off to the back room, where the mop bucket’s faucet was up rather high, and doubled as a shower. Ice cold, but in these times, one should be grateful.

He was blissfully unaware of the fact that he had company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Obviously, you should only use ladders for their intended purposes. Don't ask why someone like Heavy was able to stand on one and safely cross over rooftops. I'm pretty sure someone with his mass wouldn't even be allowed on most ladders normally, much less as a makeshift bridge.


	13. Proposition (Explicit)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medic's surprise guest knows a fun way they could get to know each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 13 chapters in, and there's finally porn. (Kinda) Congrats, ya made it! Of course, if two guys bumping uglies isn't really your thing, you can skip these next two chapters. There's nothing terribly important in it, other than establishing the other "main couple" in the story, so to speak.

"Hey, Doc." Scout peered into the room unexpectedly.

Medic peeked past the makeshift shower curtain, made from a tarp. “Vhat?” He asked, irritated, and soaking wet.  
Scout scooted inside, seeming a bit nervous. "Hey, uh, I've just been thinkin' and I thought I'd ask because I wouldn't know unless I asked so here goes.... Are you gay?"

Medic just stared at him for a long moment. “…vhat?!”  
"You gay? Like... even a little bit?"

He stared for a longer moment, and then backed into the shower stall a little more, protectively. “…vhy?”

"Well, uh..." Scout flushed a little. "I just heard one time that lots of guys having to be together without chicks around makes 'em gay after a while, and so I was thinking that..." He scratched the back of his head. "Iunno... That maybe you were?"

“…you got into zhe prescription bottles, didn’t you,” Medic deadpanned.  
Scout seemed shocked. "What?! No! I mean... Well... Just what kinda pills we got here--WAITWAITWAIT. _No._ That ain't what I'm here for."

A deep sigh. "Look, man. Doc, you're... You're fuckin' hot, man! If you're not interested, well, there's that, but I figured I might as well ask ya if you might be." He scratched his chin. "I mean... subtlety ain't somethin' I'm too good at."

“… Scout, I am still covered in Boomer vomit. Could you give me five minutes, at least, before I haff to deal wit zis?” he sighed.

"Well, I could help ya scrub ya back or somethin' while I'm here, Doc," Scout purred, obviously trying to be sultry.   
Medic sighed, and rolled his eyes. “Fine.”

Scout grinned ecstatically and bounded into the room, shutting the door behind himself. He began pulling off his blood-crusted clothing with vigor and soon stepped into the makeshift "shower" with the older man.

A shudder. "Fuck, man! Why didn't ya tell me this water is colder n' penguin nips?"

Medic chuckled, and shuffled to make room for the smaller boy behind him. “I suppose I should haff. If it vere any colder, you’d probably shrink so much you’d become a voman, ja?” He laughed, scrubbing at his hair.

A snicker. "Yeah, you wish..." Scout began scrubbing himself gingerly, preoccupied with the sight of the regal German scientist before him. He made sure he cleaned his junk as well as he could - just in case.

One he’d finished washing his hair, the older man turned and looked down at Scout with his arms crossed. “Hmmm…”

Scout looked back up at him in what he hoped was a seductive manner. He was pretty well built - obviously muscular despite being a tad on the wiry side. His shoulders were broad and awkward - obviously he wasn't at full maturity yet, but it suggested the kid was due for a major growth spurt of muscle in the future. His cock was just slightly hard and his balls seemed to be trying to regain their full girth despite the temperature. All and all, he wasn't bad to look at, even if he was a tad... awkward.

Medic looked down at him, still, staring at his half-erect cock. With no seductive pretense, he held it in one hand, and began examining it for any sort of sore or markings that would indicate an STD.

Scout still felt a jolt of electricity. After all, a very attractive man WAS touching his naughty bits. A small purr of approval.

“Haff you ever experienced any sort of abnormal discharge from your penis, Herr Scout?” Medic asked, rolling back the foreskin to examine the tip.

"Ever since I met you, ya mean?" Again, trying to pour on the charm. It didn't really work, but it was worth a try. "But... seriously, no.”

“Are you a virgin?” he asked, lifting the cock up, and handling the boy’s testicles, examining them now, too.

"No. But I ain't done it with a lot of guys, man. You kind of have to keep this sort of thing under wraps 'less you wanna wake up in a gutter with a broken arm and cracked ribs." A hum. "Even then, it was mostly... yanno. Oral stuff. Touchy-feely things, yanno? Only went all the way with one guy. Man, that was wild! But he made me wear a condom, though, so it wasn't a big deal."

“I am not partial to sodomy, myself.” Medic replied, releasing the boy’s genitalia. “More of zhe… ‘touchy-feely’ sort.” He ran a hand through his prematurely-graying hair, to rid him of the water starting to drip down his forehead. “And as for condoms, when zhe pharmacy was raided, in zhe days before zhe attacks, I am told zhose vere zhe first zhings to go.” He turned off the cold water, and leaned back against the tile. “People around heah have zheir priorities quite out of order.”

Scout scrubbed his armpits. "So... you're saying... you'd like to... try some touchy feely things with me sometime?" A grin.   
Missing the feeling of Medic's hands, Scout began fondling himself to make up for the loss of contact.

“Vell, vhy not? Ve are both heah, ve are both healzhy adults, and it is not like zhere is anyzhing better to do.” Medic asked with a shrug.

A pout from the younger man. "So you're only gonna do this because yer bored?" Scout glared up suspiciously at Medic.

“Pretty much.” Medic shrugged again. “I am not young like you, Scout. I don’t feel zhe stirrings of sexual desire as much as you, nor do I have still haff zhat overwhelming need to fulfill zhem.” His limp cock, hanging between his legs was evidence of this.

Scout huffed, pouted, and crossed his arms.

Another shrug from Medic. “If you don’t vant to do it, it’s fine by me.” He turned back, and began setting his shower paraphernalia right.

Scout pouted, crossed his arms, and hunched over, looking away. "Fucking hell, man!" he snapped. "You coulda told me that before I made a damn fool of myself!" He felt embarrassed and enraged. He wasn't just some fun little pastime!

Medic chuckled, and rubbed the boy’s back lightly. “Shall I leave you zhe shower, zhen, to ‘take care’ of zhat little problem of yours?” He pointed to the boy’s withering erection.  
"No," Scout snapped again, waving Medic away as he stumbled off stubbornly to find some suitable clothes elsewhere.

Medic shrugged, and dried off before dressing himself. “Vell, if you change your mind, you know vhere I am.”  
Scout didn't respond. He needed to talk to Sniper.

The gunman was still poised at his position at the door, smoking a cigarette, and blowing the smoke into the faces of the infected that gathered there.

"Hey, Snipes. Need a hand, there?" Scout pouted, shivering slightly in an off-orange sweater and dark black slacks he'd found.  
“Nah, ‘m good. Thanks.” He looked over at Scout. “ ‘s it Halloween already?” He chuckled, and then his grin dropped when he saw the boy’s shivers. “You cold?”

"Yeah," he huffed, sitting on a crate next to the door. "Just got done taking the coldest fucking shower in my life." A pause. "I... I talked to that Medic dude. Asked him about... yanno."  
“And?” Sniper asked, in mid-puff.

"I... Dunno. I mean... He's not... NOT gay... It's just... I don't even fucking know, man..." Scout ran his fingers through his short-cropped hair, exasperated. "He said that I could have sex with him if he wanted, but that he couldn't care less! He was limper than a soggy french fry!"

“Didja touch ‘im?” Sniper leaned back, stamping the finished cigarette out on the floor.

"No. I didn't want to. It was... It was damn embarrassing! To be told that! I didn't want him to fall in love with me or some shit, but DAMN. At least do more than sit there like a dead fish!" A pause. "I... I guess I just want him to be... into me like I'm into him, yanno?"

“…you DO remember you just met, aye?” Sniper raised his eyebrow. “Hard for a bloke to be into you when you don’t even know each other.”

"But I... We... We were NAKED, man!" Scout cried. He figured that was enough for anyone to be reduced to cock-hungry fuck-bunnies.

Sniper just chuckled. “I know you’re young, mate, so even thinkin’ bout sex makes you crack a fat, but when you get older, that changes. Don’t take it too hard.” He patted the boy on the back.

"Yeah... Okay..." A flush. Scout looked down at his shoes, embarrassed all over again. He felt even more foolish than before!

The Aussie sighed, and stared out at the horde, slowly starting to settle down. “Still cold?”

A nod. Not surprising. Scout didn't have much built-in insulator.

“Come on, then.” Sniper stood, and gestured for the Scout to follow him into the office space they’d claimed as sleeping space.   
Scout followed the man, shivering, peeled off some of his more uncomfortable outer clothing, and snuggled into the sleeping bag with a satisfied sigh.

Sniper covered the boy with a blanket, and sat down on the floor beside him. “Better now?” He smiled down at Scout.

A grin. "Yeah. Thanks, pal."

For some reason, Sniper fell between the cracks somewhere in Scout's brain. Scout obviously liked older men, but liked them to look a little more... polished than Sniper. Lord knew he liked a fine, upstanding gentleman who loved getting dirty with the street urchins. He thought about boning Sniper a few times, but at the end, he liked what they had... whatever THAT was... too much to even ask about it. Maybe he just saw Sniper as mentor. The father he'd never had as a kid.

And that suited Sniper just fine, because he was heterosexual, and even if he weren’t, he’d much prefer men his own age. Sleeping with someone as young as Scout, though he was, legally, an adult, Sniper would have still felt like he was fucking his own son.

At that moment, Medic came into the office, and laid down on his own bed, after greeting the two.

Scout tried - he really did try his best - not to look at the man like a sex-starved animal. But everything about the man set him off. Immediately, he was sitting up, face slightly flushed. "Uh, hey - I'm sorry about before - I was bein' a real dick - I guess I just expected us to start fucking right away or somethin', yanno?" he blurted suddenly.

Medic looked over, and chuckled. “I am not as young as I once was, Scout. It takes time for a man of my age to become as…excited as you.”

Scout grinned almost goofily and sat up a little straighter. At the back of his mind, he hoped things weren't going to be too awkward for Sniper, but... fuck. _THIS GUY._

Sniper chuckled, and left the room. “I’ll leave you two to…talk, then.” He grinned, and shut the door behind him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I broke this chapter into two pieces because it was super long together. Not sure if I'll do the same for all the other many... MANY Scout/Medic sex scenes on the way. I guess we'll just have to see, lmao.


	14. Restraint (Explicit)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scout has none.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It felt weird leaving the last chapter like that, so... Here's a two-fer, I suppose. Maybe I'll take tomorrow off lol.

Medic was silent for a minute after, and then looked back at Scout. “Vell, vhat vas I-“

By that time, Scout was naked. Again. And shivering. _Again._ But his enthusiasm made up for it. Another huge, cheesy grin. "Fuck, dude - you're hot as hell..." He slid into bed with the man, and went in for a kiss, his semi-hard erection pressing at Medic's thigh.

The older man let him kiss, and kissed him back, but gently, and more slowly. “Slowly, Scout. Enjoy it. Savor it. Zhere’s no need to rush.” He soothed, stroking the boy’s back with one hand, and netting the fingers of his other into his hair.

Scout was already squirming and eager. "But..." A slight pout.

“Shh…” He soothed again, and nipped at the tender flesh around the boy’s neck, his hand traveling lower to gently grope at his ass. “Slowly. You vill enjoy it.” He chuckled, bringing both hands down there now. “Alvays in such a rush. Didn’t your mutter ever tell you, anyzhing worth doing is worth doing right?” Medic smiled and began to unbutton his shirt with one hand, keeping the other firmly on Scout’s rear.

Scout sucked in a tiny breath, watching the few loose, pepper-colored curls poke out from under Medic's shirt. Trembling hands went to grasp at Medic's nipples as well and rub them into submission.

Medic hummed in approval, and shrugged his shirt off the rest of the way. Once freed from the article of clothing, he brought his hands around Scout, to stroke at his back, and grope at his ass again.

Scout went to pump his thickening cock.

“Ah, ah, ah!” Medic chided, pulling the boy’s hand away. “None of zhat, now.” He grinned. “What is zhe point of having a partner if all you’re going to do is masturbate, hm?”

A whine. "Then you do it for me."

“Vell…I could…” Medic grinned, stroking the boy’s cock lightly. “If zhat’s all you vant.” He raised an eyebrow, hinting that there was more to it than this.

Scout blinked. "Ya got more planned?" A devious little grin.

A sultry chuckle, as the doctor unzipped his own pants. “Tell me, my dear boy, haff you ever heard of frottage?”

Nodding. Scout grinned even more. "Yeah... This one dude showed me how to do it once... He was one of my first times... I fuckin' blew my load all over him in no time."

“Zhen…” Medic pulled out his half-hard cock, and leaned back on the mattress, arms up behind his head. “Show me.”

Scout trembled. "H... Hold on, man..." He licked his lips. "I gotta get a taste of this, first. I just gotta." His mouth was watering at the sight of Medic's plumping cock alone. He wriggled down so that he was nose-deep in slightly greying pubes, and enveloped Medic's entire length in his warm mouth.

Medic groaned, softly, and stroked the back of Scout’s head. “Yes…” He sighed, pleased.

Scout bobbed his head, feeling up Medic's balls in his hands as he went. Medic was a tad bit saltier than what he was used to - a little more bitter, too. Scout wasn't sure he liked it, but with any luck, Medic would be the one blowing HIM from now on.

The older doctor let his hands wander over Scout’s neck and back, caressing him gently as he muttered approval. “Very good, Scout. Very good…Your mouth feels so varm…”

"I got somethin' else that's warm..." Scout chuckled, wriggling back up to face Medic. He began thrusting slowly, grinding their hips together. A slight gasp.

Medic chuckled, and let his hands rest on Scout’s hips, guiding him in his thrusts. “So eager.” He remarked, looking at the boy’s tip, already dripping a little with his arousal, while his own cock was still just barely at its full hardness. “You like it? Does it feel good?”

"Aw, yeah, fuck, it does..." Scout crooned, grinning like an idiot. "Aw, fuck, yeah..."

“Slow, Scoutchen, slow…” Medic cooed, tightening his grip on the slim hips, forcing him to ride at an almost-agonizingly slow pace.

A pained whine. Scout squirmed again. "Aw, FUCK, man! I've boned dudes your age before, and this is NOT an age thing! Maybe a repression thing, yeh, but not an age thing... Fuck..."

Medic chuckled, but held him still, barely letting him get any real stimulation at all now. “I promise you, taking your time makes it all vorth vhile.”

"I caaaaan't..." Scout huffed, breaking out into a slight sweat. His cock twitched eagerly.

“Yes you can. Just relax, and enjoy zhe sensations.” Medic purred, rubbing circles into the boy’s hips.

"Okay... Okay..."

“Good boy.” Medic praised, letting his hands travel up, tickling Scout’s ribs a little before his thumbs started playing with the boy’s nipples.

Scout was trembling. He tried to just let Medic do his thing.

“Breathe, Scout. Breathe.” Medic purred into the boy’s ear before he moved his hands down, to gently massage his toned thighs.

Scout let out a whoosh of air, and tried his best to breathe steadily, thin chest heaving. He watched Medic's hands with a desperate kind of hunger.

The doctor’s skilled hands rubbed at Scout’s hips again, before travelling behind, to grope and massage his ass. One finger gingerly traced down the cleft there, prodding the entrance a little, teasing it.

Scout's hips jerked a little. "Hurry..." he hissed between clenched teeth, trying his best to shut off his brain and not fuck this up.

“Und vhy do I need to hurry, dear Scout?” He grinned, still circling the sensitive hole.

"I... I can't... L...Last... I can't..."

Medic turned his gaze back to the boy’s dripping cock, and sighed, shaking his head with a smile. “Very vell, zhen.” He took the boy’s shaft in his hand, and began pumping it slowly.

"Ughhnnn...!" Scout gasped, entire body shaking with arousal. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's it, that's it.... Fuck..." A groan.

Medic squeezed a little tighter, but moved slower. He couldn’t resist teasing the boy a little.

A little droplet of precum dripped out. "Auugh.... Aughhh...!" the boy gasped, shaking more. "Doc, Doc, Doc, man, Doc..." He slumped forward onto the man's shoulder, and bit at it, groaning even more.

The doctor chuckled, and just warned, “Gently, Scout. I don’t vant to have to sew myself up.” He pumped a little faster, circling his thumb around the sensitive tip, spreading the precum around.

"Okay, okay, okay, fuuuuh--!" Scout's hips jerked at the sudden resumed pace, and was reduced to wordless babbles as he sloppily kissed Medic's shoulder over and over.

Medic’s pace grew faster and faster, and he found himself panting with the exertion of stroking the boy so fast. Already his wrist was beginning to flare with pain, but he kept it up all the same.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK--!" Scout's entire body spasmed, and he came hard all over them both, crying out in mindless ecstasy. "Oh, fuck... Oh, fuck... Oh......"

Wave after wave of pleasure hit him. His eyes fluttered and he smiled again.

Though his wrist was aching, Medic stroked the boy through his orgasm, until he had stopped twitching and shooting out his seed. He smiled up at Scout. “How vas zhat?”

"Aw, dude... Like torture and then fuckin' paradise..."

“And zhe former made zhe latter all zhe better, ja?” He grinned like a smarmy bastard.

"I... I don't know... Maybe..." Scout huffed. "Fuckin' hurt havin' to hold back like that..."

“Only because you are impatient, and young. You vill learn to enjoy it. Some day.” Medic smiled, and laid back on the mattress, his own erection rubbing up against the back of Scout’s thigh.

"H...Hey... Ya don't wanna take care of that?" Scout huffed, rubbing against it slightly.

“I am alright. You can go to sleep if you vant.” He smiled up at him. “Don’t vorry about it.”

"You..." A yawn. "You sure, man?"

“Vell…” He thought about it, and then shook his head. “Nein, nein, you are tired. Go rest.”

"You said well about somethin'..."

“It’s fine. Go to sleep.” Medic kissed his own thumb, and then stroked Scout’s forehead with it, tenderly.

It didn't take long before Scout, indeed, had nodded off, curled up comfortably to Medic's chest. If being covered in sticky semen bothered him, he didn't show it.

Unwilling to wait for his erection to just go down on his own, Medic snaked his hand down and began stroking himself. He did so, silently, aside from the few panting breaths that he let escape, blowing gently over the nape of Scout’s neck.

"Mmmnnnhmmm..." Scout murmured softly in his sleep. He wrinkled his nose for a second, but drifted off easily again.

Medic paused in his motions, but once he saw that Scout had fallen back asleep, he resumed, eventually stroking himself within reach of that wonderful climax.

It spurted all over the back of Scout's thighs, coating him even further in milky white seed. He didn't even stir from his sleep, however.

As he regained his breath, Medic began gently rubbing his seed into the boy’s skin, using it like lotion. He kissed the top of Scout’s head gingerly with a slow smile and settled down for a nap beside the boy.

Yes. This was satisfactory enough.


	15. Serve and Protect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fresh wounds Spy got on his way to the pharmacy come back to haunt him.

Now this felt right. Soldier held Spy tightly, humming deeply in his chest. "Everything better? For the most part, I mean?"

Spy turned his head to look over at Soldier, eyes still half-lidded in semi-sleep. “I suppose…” he whispered, weakly. “Still very…on my teeth.” He translated, poorly, in his exhausted state.

Soldier nodded. "Go to sleep. I'll look after ya, Frenchie."

“Look after yourself.” He yawned. “You are ‘urt, too. You should sleep.”

"I'm not PROGRAMMED to look after myself - I'm tough enough to withstand or ignore anything that comes MY way!”

“But when you-“ Another yawn. “When you are ignore it, like you ‘ave doing…” He paused, thinking hard about how to translate again, then pointed, weakly, at Soldier’s bandaged shoulder, “Possess…sick.” He shook his head, knowing that wasn’t how to properly word it.

"That was a fluke. Go to sleep. I'll sleep when I deem it's safe."

“I…ne dors pas, jusqu’a-until you are sleep.” Spy muttered, tiredly.

A grumble. "A...Alright... Fine."

Spy smiled a little. “Good.” His eyes were hardly more than slits now, as he stared off into the space beside Soldier’s head, waiting for him to fall asleep.

Soldier was a little uncomfortable having to fall asleep before Spy, but for all his big talk, he really was exhausted. Within five to fifteen minutes, he was deeply asleep, his nose buried slightly in Spy's mask.

The second he saw the Soldier’s breathing even out, Spy gave up on trying to stay conscious, and fell asleep too, on his back, the other man’s arms still wound around him tightly.

The next morning, Heavy went to check on the two with Medic, being concerned about their safety.

Medic stirred the spoon in his coffee, and sipped at it, slowly, as he walked. “Zhe infected seem to haff calmed down considerably, since last night.”

Heavy nodded. "They always do. When there are no Survivors to see."

“Mmm.” He nodded back, sipping at the coffee. “You’re sure you vould not like some? Va haff lots.”

"No. I am... not good with caffeine," Heavy chuckled, backing away slightly. A pause. "Are Scout and Sniper awake yet?"

“I saw Sniper patrolling earlier zhis morning.” Another sip. “But Scout has decided to sleep in. Vhy?”

Heavy rubbed the back of his meaty neck. "I must... apologize. I made big mistake that almost put us all in danger of breaking apart. Must make amends for mistake."

“Vhat vas zhe mistake?” he sipped again, stopping in front of the infirmary.

"Well... Spy told me story and... And I did not hear well, or maybe not understand... I thought he said he was carrier, and Sniper wanted to let him die because of my mistake."

“Carrier?” A curious look. “But…aren’t ve all carriers? Anyvone who is immune merely carries zhe disease, yes? Zhat’s vhat zhe CEDA vhas saying.”

"I... I am not sure." A sigh as Heavy felt a headache threatening. Science wasn’t really his forte. He preferred the arts. "Sniper's old Medic seemed to think Carriers make powerful infected like Tanks or Witches. Happened to their Heavy and killed most of their group. Very sad."

Medic paused for a while, in thought. “Und zhat may be, but let’s worry about zhe present for now, ja? Let us see how our little patients are doing.” He held the door open for Heavy.

Spy already looked more healthy since his face was retaining more color, and his breathing was more even. With Soldier, it was harder to tell at a glance, but at the very least, he wasn't paralyzed with pain anymore.

They were both asleep, clinging gingerly to each other since Medic had pushed their beds together.

Soldier sleepily cracked open an eye, and, upon seeing it was nothing to be worried about, went back to sleep.

Spy shifted in his sleep, and looked up at the two as they entered. “Allo…” he whispered, “ ‘ow are zhings outside?”

"Calming. How are things with you two?" Heavy responded, pulling up a seat.

“Good, I suppose.” Spy blinked his eyes a few times until they complied, and opened fully. “Do we ‘ave any water?”

“Coming right up.” Medic nodded, and left to get it.

Heavy smiled. "Is amazing to me that you two are such good friends now. How did this happen?"

“I honestly don’t know.” Spy shrugged, with a bit of a chuckle. “I zhink it ‘appened while I was asleep.”

"You make friends while asleep?" A laugh. "Good talent to have! Very impressive!"

“Here ve are.” Medic brought two bottles of water into the room, and handed one to Spy.

When the Frenchman tried to sit up to drink it, he found Soldier’s arm a bit of a hindrance. “Soldier.” He poked him. “Let go. I’m trapped by your arm.”

Soldier grunted and rolled over.

“Zhank you.” Spy sat up, and then cried out sharply in pain, clutching at his side, and immediately fell back down. Medic was instantly at his side, and caught the fallen water bottle before it hit the floor.

Soldier was fully awake in an instant, and helped Spy lay down gently. "The hell happened?!" he gasped.

“It’s zhose vounds again. I knew zhey vould be trouble.” Medic quickly unbuttoned Spy’s shirt, and began unwrapping the new bandages at his stomach.

"Wait - wha--?!" Soldier gasped, seeing it for the first time. "S...Since when have you--?!"

Spy looked at him, ashamed, and then looked away, biting his lip as the doctor shook his head at the fluid oozing around the burn scabs.

“Vhat could have done zhis...?" Medic asked with a sigh. He wrapped it back up for the time being with a frown. "You’re burned qvite badly. Stay here. I vill get some ointment, ja?” He strode back out the door.

"You didn't tell me about this?!" Soldier cried, looking hurt.

“I didn’t…want you to worry?” Spy smiled at him, nervously, still clutching at the burn wound, bandages wrapped all around it.

"But I..." Soldier was suddenly angry. "How am I supposed to take care of you - to protect you - when you try to keep things from me???"

Spy winced, and looked away, glancing over at Heavy for help. He frowned, and looked back Soldier. “Since when is it your job to protect me, hein? I don’t remember saying anyone ‘ad to do zhat, least of all you.”

"I KNOW you didn't ask me to, but it's still my JOB, alright?"

“Since when?!” Spy spat at him, sitting up carefully. “Your only job is to take care of yourself- I shouldn’t even be on your list of priorities!”

"That's not how I DO things!" Soldier cried. "I..." He trembled a bit.

"All my life I... I've had something to fight for. NEEDED something to fight for. Because... When... When I die, that just means everything I fought for means nothin', and we've all gotta die. Without purpose, life is fucking meaningless." Another pause. It was obvious this was a difficult subject for him to talk about. "Before, it was America. I fought for American ideals and the flag, and... our way of doing things because it was the best thing in the world to me."

A shaky exhale. "But America let down many people before. Innocents._ Civilians._ And for all I know, there ain't an America anymore cause of this damn sickness. So, I... I decided that, from now on, I'll... I'll fight for you."

“Why?” Spy frowned. “Zhere are four ozher people ‘ere ‘oo you could fight for. Why not pick one of zhem? Why single me out?”

"You need my help the most. And... You're the one America's let down the most." The man looked away. "The least I can do is to do what my fellow countrymen should have. Protect the innocent. And the ones who need our help the most."

“Your countrymen DID protect me. Zhey freed my country, took me into zheir hospital… It was just zhose zhree zhat came into my ‘ouse zhat didn’t. Zhree. Out of…’ow many American soldiers were sent over zhere? Just zhree.” Spy shrugged. “I don’t blame your entire country for zhe actions of zhree individuals, Soldier, and you shouldn’t eizher.” Spy looked down at the ground. "And I was 'ardly what one would call 'innocent', remember?"

"No. No, no, no. You were. you needed us. You were just a kid trying to survive!" Soldier hugged the man tightly. "It doesn't matter what happened before. All that matters is that... That now, you're…” He gulped. “I… NEED to protect you. To have SOMEONE. Something. To protect." Soldier's voice was a little choked now. He wasn't far from tears, though he tried his best to hide it.

Spy winced, and tried to pull away from the hug, wincing as Soldier unintentionally pressed against his sore spots. “…you’re ‘urting me…” He muttered, quietly.

"Sorry. sorry..." Soldier whispered, letting him go. He felt as if his world was crashing down before his ears. Everything felt slightly less real. He needed something to hold on to. Something to make him solid again.

Medic came back, with a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a cloth. “Sorry. Couldn’t find zhe ointment, but zhis might help.” He handed it over to the Frenchman, who gingerly pressed it against his side, and swung his legs over the side of the gurney.

“Find someone else to protect.” Spy frowned, not looking back at Solider. “I’m tired of you treating me like an infant.” Despite Medic’s protests, he stepped onto the floor, and weakly limped his way out of the room, with his bag of peas still held to his wound.

Heavy looked up at Soldier. "Are you... Okay?"

Soldier just stared at his hands. "Yeah. I just... need a moment..." Soldier laid down, and was still, but not asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit -- 3 Sept 2019
> 
> Earlier, in this chapter and chapter 13, Spy was referred to having been pounced on by a Hunter before the group got to him and apparently having gotten it off of him, possibly defeating it before Medic and Heavy spotted him on the roof. Obviously, this is impossible in game, would probably be difficult even for someone like Heavy, and it seemed quite a stretch of the imagination to imagine Spy, who was already so badly wounded that he couldn't even walk on his own, pulling it off. 
> 
> I tell you this because if you find any more references to a bruise on his stomach that I forgot to scrub, that was a remnant of that old version of the RP before Fridge Logic kicked in. That's also why there will be mentions of Medic and Spy applying cold compresses to the burn wounds, despite the fact that it's actually kind of detrimental to burn wounds to use that. I tried my best, okay.


	16. Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spy tries to come to terms with his new situation.

Outside, in the pharmacy, Spy limped his way over to the tiny book section of the pharmacy. He slumped down on the floor, and picked up a 3-dollar copy of Hamlet, and began to read it. Soon, he grew bored with it, and threw it across the aisle, churlishly.

Heavy came out to keep him company. "You should be resting."

“Are you going to coddle me like a child, zhen, too?” Spy frowned up at him.

"No. But I do not think Soldier was meaning to. He is doing badly since you left. I think maybe there was... a misunderstanding."

“What do you mean?” Spy looked up from the two-dollar English-French dictionary he now held.

"Soldier cannot function without... higher need, yes? Is him who needs you, I think."

Spy sighed. “Why does it ‘ave to be me? Why not someone else?”

"He feels guilt for... story you tell? Three American soldiers that do wrong? Maybe because you are most injured. Is no way of telling. But... Maybe for him you can... pretend he helps?"

“But ‘e doesn’t!” Spy threw the dictionary across the aisle now. “ ‘e only makes me feel worse! Makes me feel like…like someone can see just ‘ow pazhetic and useless I feel, and zhat maybe I really AM, but…but I don’t want to be…I…I’ve been taking care of myself since I was very young, and I… I don’t want anyone to…to tell me I can’t do it, because I ‘ave been doing it, and will KEEP doing it, and I just want someone to see zhat!” He burst into tears, and covered his face with his hands, letting the bag of peas fall to the floor.

Heavy blinked. "Soldier just wants to help... You are angry because he wants to help? Because he cares about you like brother?"

Spy looked away from Heavy, and just cried for a while, before he was able to recompose himself. “I am not angry because ‘e wants to ‘elp, I…I am angry because…because I need ‘elp.” He sniffled again, wiping his eyes.

Heavy nodded. "Is not easy thing to ask for, da?" he sighed, picking up the frozen peas again and placing it on Spy's wound.

He hissed at the cold, but took it, and held it there. “Zhank you.” He breathed, looking down at the floor. “And you’re right, it…it is not easy to ask for ‘elp, especially when you’ve…when you ‘aven’t needed it for so long. When you’ve been able to just…survive on your own for so long.”

Heavy smiled. "I have feeling you and Soldier are more alike than you think."

“Maybe…” Spy muttered, and just stared at the aisle across from them. “…I should go apologize to ‘im, shouldn’t I.”

"If you want to."

He paused for a moment, then sighed, and went to get up. When he winced, and fell back, he held his hand out to Heavy. “Little ‘elp?”

"Yes. Will be my pleasure." A smile. "Comrade."

“Merci, mon ami.” Spy smiled back, as he was helped to his feet. He limped his way back to where he’d left Soldier, and pushed open the door, after a moment of hesitation. “Soldier?”

"Yeah?" Soldier asked distantly. He was staring out into space almost fearfully, eyes glazed with terror and uncertainty.

Spy paused, and limped forward, to where the other man sat. “…I’m sorry.”

"What...?" Soldier turned to the man, eyes unsure.

He stepped a little closer. “I’m sorry.” He restated, a little louder this time.

"...... Thank you." A smile. "You ain't mad at me for... what I did?" It was obvious he wasn't even sure what he'd done, himself.

“I never was.” Spy shook his head, and looked down at the floor, ashamed. “I was just…mad at myself, I suppose.”

"At yourself? Why? What did I do?"

“You didn’t do anyzhing, okay!?” Spy spat, exasperated, and looked up at the ceiling, now. “You…it’s not your fault. I’m…I’m zhe one ‘oo…’oo is…crazy, I guess. I don’t know.” He sat down on the table, staring back at the floor. “So…I’m sorry.”

There was silence for a moment, and then Soldier just held the man tightly to himself. "It's alright. Just... Just get summore rest, alright? Here's that water from before..."

“Zhank you.” He took it, and downed the bottle in less than a minute, then threw it to the floor, with a small huff of frustration. “…I really am sorry. I mean it. I never meant to…to ‘urt you, or worry you, or anyzhing. Really I didn’t.”

"Eh, don't worry 'bout me. What's buggin' you?"

“I just…” his voice broke, and he sniffled again. “I ‘ate zhis.”

Silence. "The monsters?"

Spy nodded, biting his lip to silence any potential sobs.

Soldier paused. "I do, too," he admitted softly. "I... I hate what they're turning us into..."

Another sniffle. “My ‘ole life, I… since zhe war, I mean, I…I’ve ‘ad to rely on myself to survive, and I did just zhat. I was fine, all by myself, and I never ‘ad to ask for ‘elp from anyone. Not ever. And now…all of zhis, I… I just feel so…patetic, and weak.”

"Yer hurt! There's nothin' wrong with waitin' til ya get better." A pause. "... ‘Sides... I... I really mostly take care of ya because... Well... I need to." Soldier looked down with a sigh, frustration already starting to bubble forth. "... I know," he muttered softly.

“Know what?” Spy looked back at him, over his shoulder.

"How... weird you gotta think that is... But I can't... I can't just do things for myself. I just can't..."

“Considering zhe life I’ve led, yes, it…it does seem a little weird.” He looked back down at the floor. “ ‘ave I really grown so callous zhat it seems a foreign concept to want to ‘elp ozhers?”

Soldier just stared at him, as if not fully recognizing that the question was rhetorical.

Spy just sighed, and shook his head, ashamed of himself. “I am…just zhe worst type of ‘uman being. Really I am.”

"No you're not. Those soldiers are. If they hadn't done what they did... Maybe you would have had a better life," the man growled.

“But if I ‘and’t done what I did, zhey…zhey wouldn’t ‘ave ‘ad reason to do zhat.” Spy protested.

"You did it to help your mother. That's a solid enough reason for anything."

“But I could ‘ave…zhere were ozher…” Spy trailed off. “I could ‘ave…I don’t know. Joined zhe army or somezhing.” He shrugged, knowing full well there was no place that would have hired him at the tender age of twelve.

"Why are you making excuses for them?" Soldier asked softly, touching the man's shoulder.

“Because! I…” He looked at him, eyes glassy, before he looked away, “When zhey were…carving zhis into my face,” he pointed to his cheek, where the balaclava covered his scar, “Zhey made my mozher watch, and…and told ‘er what a little slut I was, and ‘ow she was going to die, and it would be all my fault, for ‘oring myself out to zhe Germans, and…and a very big part of me believed it. Believed zhat it was my fault. Zhat part still does.”

"It was never your fault... There wasn't anything else you could do... You..." A pause. "You were a good boy, Spy... And you're a good man now. And I... I... care... deeply... about you. For that."

Spy sniffled, “But I could ‘ave tried ‘arder to find work! Real work! I…I could ‘ave travelled furzher sout, and sent money ‘ome, or…” his breath hitched, and he curled forward as far as he could, comfortably, and the tears started to stain his balaclava.

Soldier felt helpless. What could he do to make the man feel better? If anything?

Spy sniffled, and lifted the balaclava so he could wipe at his eyes better. “I’m sorry…just…just forget I said anyzhing. It doesn’t matter now anyway.”

"You sure?" Soldier asked softly, holding the man tightly. "I mean... I..." A pause. "Alright."

“Yes, I’m…I’m fine. Zhank you.” Spy pulled his mask back down, and stared down at the floor. He chuckled nervously, “Sorry I’m…such a wreck.”

"My uncle went crazy after the first world war and filled my father's face so full of buckshot, it was more lead than flesh and bone. You ain't the worst I've seen, Private." A smile.

Spy paled at the imagery, and his smile immediately dropped. “Um…zhank you.” He replied, still not quite sure what to say to that. "So… your fazher...did 'e...did 'e die from zhat?"

"Yeah. It was fast, though. Faster than my Uncle when he shot himself in the face afterwards. He lived for four hours! Weird, right? To this day, I always shoot those infected freaks twice in the head just in case."

Spy just stared at him, dumbstruck, and turned his head away, slowly, eyes wide in horrific shock.

".... Too soon?"

“Per’aps a bit.” Spy whispered, staring at the wall.

"Sorry..." Soldier took a moment, then hugged Spy tightly. "I'm really sorry... I'll shut up, really."

“No, it’s fine, I just…you’re quite…graphic, in zhe stories you tell. It’s…” Spy paused. “I won’t lie, zhey’re a little…disturbing. But…why don’t you…tell me somezhing about yourself zhat…zhat doesn’t end in…well, ‘orrific death?”

"... Well... That's gonna be a hard one..."

“Oh, zhere must be…somzehing, right?” Spy looked over at him, smiling nervously a little. “What about your mozher? Is she…still living?”

Soldier paused for a moment, an unreadable expression crossing his face. "I'm not sure. When I went off to join WWII, I left and never looked back. She was... a good woman. But... She and... and I... We weren't too... close." He set his jaw resolutely.

Spy nodded, understanding. “You talked about your grandfazher, before. What about ‘im? What was ‘e like?”

"Oh yeah!" A grin as Soldier’s face brightened again. "Toughest fucker on the plant! He fought in the Civil War! He was even still alive when I went off to war. He was what gave me my love of guns and fighting, and the one who taught me that pain is just weakness leaving the body!"

“I don’t know about zhat.” Spy muttered, looking down at his feet again. “It ‘urt a lot when zhey cut into my face. Still felt pretty weak after zhat. Weaker, really, from zhe loss of blood.”

"He meant from... eh... exercise, mostly. And beatings, too. Blood is something different. You kind of NEED that."

“_J’en sais quelque chose._” He chuckled, leaning back into Soldier, a little bit dizzy. “Can I…can you move? I’d like to lie down. I’m not feeling well.”

"Sure thing..." Soldier smiled and moved aside. He didn't say so, but it would be comforting to have someone to hold onto...

“Zhank you.” Spy smiled back, and laid down on the table. Gingerly, he rubbed at his temple a bit. “Don’t stop, zhough. I like ‘earing your stories. Zhe…not gory ones, at least.”

"Well... One time, my grandpa found out I didn't know how to swim. So he decided that summer that he was going to teach me if it was the last thing I did. He took me to the neighborhood watering hole and _PLUNK_, dropped me in, just like that! I probably work the whole town screamin' like I did!"

Spy looked up at him, surprised. “…were you…I mean, obviously you lived, but…what ‘appened?”

"Well, at first, I sank like a rock. Then that's when Ol' Mikey - that's what the big, neighborhood gator's name was - decided he had enough of my splashin, and went to go help me out. Well, I think he was a little confused at first because he tried snappin' at me once or twice, but I accidentally punched him in his big, dumb skull, and he was real quiet after that. I learned how to doggy paddle by using him like a floating device!"

Even more surprise. “…zhat sounds…razher…traumatizing, honestly.” He laughed. “And ‘ere I zhought my fazher was being cruel when ‘e took me out to zhe deep end of zhe pond. Razher pales in comparison now.”

Soldier laughed and shrugged. "That old, crazy bastard knew what he was doing. Maybe I was just a tougher kid than the rest from the start who knows."

“You certainly make it sound like you were tougher zhan I was.” He laughed. “I cried like a baby until Papa brought me back to shore, and you punched an alligator in zhe face.”

"It was on accident!" Soldier cried. "Poor Mikey was moping for the rest of the weekend..." He thought of the gator as a large pet rather than a threat, it seemed.

“I believe you, I believe you.” He smiled. “Go on. Tell me more of your stories. Zhey’re a lot nicer zhan most of mine.”

Soldier continued well into the night, telling Spy of all of his spectacular childhood tales.

* * *

Elsewhere in the pharmacy, Scout was strutting around, feeling pretty damn good about himself.

Medic strode by, on his way to check on Spy and Soldier, and saw Scout. He smiled warmly at the boy, and gave him a wave. “Hello zhere.”

Scout broke out into a huge, utterly giddy smile, laughed for whatever reason, and ran his fingers through his hair. "Hey..." he returned, feeling like the luckiest fucking guy in the world for whatever reason.

“You seem awfully cheery today.” Medic smiled, closing the gap between them. "You slept vell, I take it?"

"_Heeeeellz_ yeah!" A chuckle. "You got some pretty good moves on ya still... old man."

Medic chuckled back. "And zhat vas only a taste, liebchen. If you ever find yourself looking for more, you know vhere I-"

"How about right now, huh? Think you got enough buck in ya to take me on?" Scout challenged, grinning.

“I suppose I do.” Medic grinned back. “Shall ve go somevhere more comfortable?” he gestured towards the sleeping area.

Scout bounded into the room, eager for more "lessons". 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this chapter, we've officially surpassed my actual legitimate fanfic Breaking Point in sheer terms of words. And, spoiler alert, we're only about... idk, 30%-ish percent through uploading this mammoth of an RP. And that's keeping in mind how script-like it is. Yikes. I hope everyone reading is having a good time reading it so far. I'll probably take a break soon due to mental health reasons.


	17. Trick Question (Explicit)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medic gives Scout a lesson in biology.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided splitting up porn sections, regardless of length, is stupid. So here ya go, a really huge porn section just for those who care.

Medic took off his tie, and strode casually into the room, moving far more slowly than the Scout, but no less eager. He shut the door behind him, kicked off his shoes, and sat on his mattress.

Shout kicked off his shoes, too, and toed off his socks. He flopped on the mattress eagerly and reached for the waistband of Medic's pants.

“Ah ah ah.” Medic chided, slapping the boy’s hands away. “Ve do zhis right.” He shuffled, pulling the boy into his lap, and bringing him close, until they were nose to nose. “You vish to kiss me again?”   
"Yeah." And Scout leaned forward to-   
“Vhat are you doing?” Medic pulled back, smirking, and turned his face so his cheek was in front of Scout’s mouth now.

"Hell, man - I'm tryin' to kiss you!" Scout whined. A smirk. "Yer such a fuckin' tease... You know how to drive me crazy..." He tried kissing the older man again.   
Medic chuckled, and turned his head away again, humming with amusement. “Just testing your patience, Scoutchen. He grinned, and moved his lips back into position. “You may.” He puckered his lips slightly.

Scout dove in, all tongue and needy youthfulness.   
Medic allowed the boy’s tongue to pass, and stroked his own, slowly, against the appendage. His hands came up to stroke at Scout’s face and scalp, sensually.   
Scout hummed, holding Medic closely - possessively. Okay, yeah. He wanted to fuck this dude silly.

The older man broke the kiss with a wet sound, and began kissing the boy’s face and neck, moving slowly, and sensually, as before.   
Scout groaned and tilted his neck to the side, perfectly content to let Medic continue exactly as he was doing.

“You see?” Medic hummed, nipping gently at the tender flesh behind Scout’s ear. “Moving slowly feels nice, ja? Feels good.”   
"Well, sometimes. Not all the time," Scout mumbled.

Medic pulled back, and unbuttoned his shirt halfway. “You vant to try?”   
Scout blinked. "Eh... I'm more of a... straight-to-the-point, starts-sucking-your-dick-right-away kinda guy."   
“Oh, vhat a shame.” Medic pretended to sigh, disappointed, as he stroked the boy, gently, through the fabric of his shirt. “Zhe release is oh-so-much sveeter vhen you take your time.”

"I dunno how, man... I usually did this sorta stuff... In really short spans of time - like, right before a dude's wife came home or some shit. All I really know how to do is give ya a good time in the shortest possible span of... time. Yanno?"   
“But I haff no wife, and we haff no reason to rush, now do ve?” He smiled, stripping the boy of his shirt, and began to caress the toned flesh he found there.

"Yeah, but... It's just... Just..." A ragged intake of breath. "I...Instinct..."   
“And I understand zhat, Scoutchen. Really I do.” He soothed, stroking the boy’s arms. “But it can sometimes be fun to fight our instincts, if vone is villing to…try.” He raised his eyebrows, smirking.

Scout huffed. "A...Alright... Just wish this sort of thing came with training wheels or some shit..." A grin. "Get on yer back."   
Medic hummed, intrigued, and complied, with a smile.

Scout set to work, his inexperienced mouth suckling and nipping at places he figured were pleasure centers - the pulse point of the neck, the skin right above the collarbone..... It was hit-and-miss at best, but his earnestness was something to be greatly admired.

“Mmm…good, Scout. Keep going.” Medic smiled, sighing, pleased, whenever the boy sucked on a particularly nice area.   
There was a slight unzipping noise as Scout went to sneak a fondle at his swollen cock.

“Ah ah ah!” Medic chided again, not even having to open his eyes. “Patience, Scout, patience.”   
A whine. "Can I at least blow ya, then? This is torture, man!"

Another chuckle. “Vork your vay down. Count my ribs wizh your lips. If you get zhe number right, perhaps I vill let you.”   
Scout was immediately on it, but still tried to go slowly.   
“Good…good…” Medic praised, and he rubbed the boy’s shoulders as he kissed down his torso. “Zhat’s right. Nice and slow…”

Scout shifted so that he was straddling one of the older man's legs, and pressed his bulging pants against the thigh insistently. Still, he went down slowly, kissing his down Medic's abdominal muscles. "Yeah... You like this, don'tcha...?" he murmured quietly.   
Medic grinned, and moved his thigh against the boy’s groin, teasingly. “It seems you do, too, Scoutchen.”

"Oh, yeah, I love it... I'm gonna blow ya so good, you won't be able to see straight, ya fuckin' slut. You fuckin' want me so much..."   
“Hmm, vhat a dirty mouth you have.” Medic cooed, stroking the boy’s hair. “I cannot vait to see you put it to good use. How many ribs haff you found?” He smirked.

"Oh, uh..." Damn, it was so hard to stay focused. "Um..." He counted with his lips again. "Uh... T...Ten...? Is that right...?"   
Medic smiled, and shook his head. “Try again.”

Scout frowned. "Twenty, then. Ya know what I mean, Deutsch-Bag."   
Medic still smiled that smarmy smile. “I do not have twenty ribs, Scout. Try again.”

"What?" Scout counted again, this time checking both sides. Maybe he'd been in some horrible, rib-removing accident and actually had 19 or something, but... Nope, ten on both side. "Twentyyyyy!" he whined again, pouting.

Medic merely shook his head, with that same grin. “Nein, Scout. Not twenty. Keep trying.”   
"BULLSHIIIIT."

The older man laughed, and pulled Scout down to kiss him, tenderly.

Scout was not a tender kisser. He was not a tender person, in general. He attacked Medic's mouth with that same youthful hunger, as if to suck the life out of his very body.

But Medic wasn’t having any of it. He pulled his lips away, and began kissing the boy’s neck and hairline instead.

A whine. "C'mon, man - I'mma lose it! Don't tease me, alright?"   
Another chuckle. “I do not haff twenty ribs.” He whispered. “Vould you like help in counting zhis time?”   
"Yes!" Scout cried, desperation in his eyes.

Medic laid back down, and pointed at his first rib. “Vone…”   
"One, yeah, yeah.... Alright..."

He merely looked up at the boy, unimpressed. “Vone…” he repeated, pulling the boy’s head down, gently, towards his chest.   
"Oh, right." A loving kiss. "One..."

Medic smiled, and pointed to the next. “Two…”   
A kiss. "Two." He glanced back up at Medic.

They continued in this way for a bit- Medic pointing to each rib set, and Scout kissing them, as gently as he could. “Ten…” Another kiss, “Eleven.” He finished, pointing to a spot that was a little higher than his kidneys. “And twelve.” Another point.

Scout looked up at him utterly confused. “What? Wanna run that by me again?”

Medic just laughed. “Zhere were two pairs you could not feel because zhey are classified as ‘floating ribs’. Zhey do not connect viz zhe ozzer ribs or zhe sternum – only zhe vertebrae. Zhey are hard to pick up by anyone who isn’t well learned in human anatomy and knows vhat to look for...”

A startled laugh. “You COCK! Ya did that on purpose, didn’t ya?!”   
“Maybe, maybe not.”

"Jeez, man! At first I, like, thought you had a horrible accident or somethin’ or were born without a rib on one side or somethin’. But it’d be alright, anyhow. I’d still like ya. I was actually born with two toes stuck together – I ever tell ya that?" He wiggled his feet. "Got it fixed in surgery sometime after I was hired by Mann Co. It was real embarrassin'. Would keep my socks on even durin' sex cause I was afraid it'd turn off the guy I was baggin'."

“Poor Scoutchen.” Medic soothed, rubbing the boy’s back, “Poor deformed Scoutchen.” He grinned, still stroking along his spine, and the nape of his neck.

"Hey." A pout as Scout jerked away. "Don't make fun of me, ya jackass."

He chuckled, and leaned up to peck the boy gently on the lips. “I’m sorry.” Another peck, to his cheek, “How vill I ever make it up to you?”

"By cutting the bullshit and letting me fuck ya." A grin.  
A grin, mirroring Scout’s, but with a more relaxed gaze. “Vell, I suppose you DID get very close wizh zhe ribs…”   
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I did." A broad grin.

“Now, vhat vhas it you vere going to do vhen you counted zhem all? Hmmm.” Medic pursed his lips, in thought. “My memory is not vhat it used to be. I seem to haff forgotten!” He shrugged, with a shit-eating grin.

"You were gonna test out yer gag reflexes," Scout chuckled darkly, brandishing his fully erect cock. It wasn't all THAT big, but, as Scout had mentioned, it was enough to trigger the gag reflex.

“Hmm. I look forward to it.” He grinned, pulling Scout’s hips closer to him, his member inches away from his mouth. Ever the infuriating tease, he began softly blowing warm air over the boy’s erect cock.

A whine. Scout's body shuddered, but he endured the torture bravely.

After a bit of this literal blow job, Medic began softly nuzzling the flesh around Scout’s genitals with his nose, breathing in the scent of the curly hairs at the base of his shaft.

"C...cut it out, Doc..." Scout growled softly, grabbing a fistful of hair.   
“Patience, Scout.” Medic grinned up at him, and licked the root of the shaft ever so gently.

Scout's hand jerked as if he were tempted to finish the job with his hand instead of dicking around.   
Medic chuckled, and took hold of both of the boy’s hands, gently rubbing his thumbs over the palms, as he kissed his way up the shaft.

"Hnnngh.... Fuck, this feels good," Scout sighed.   
“I told you it vould.” Medic smiled, and kissed at the tip, gently, a few times. Soon, he was mouthing the sensitive head, his tongue sneaking out to prod at the slit occasionally.

"Just blow me alreadyyyy!" Scout whined, twisting on the mattress.   
Medic smirked, pulled off, and blew a jet of warm air, harder than before, on the spit-slicked tip.

Scout couldn't take it anymore. One hand unconsciously flew down to fondle his poor, neglected manhood.   
The doctor quickly grabbed the hand back, and held it in his own, as he sucked at the base of Scout’s cock, moving upward slightly with each suck.

Scout's cock throbbed pleadingly, as the boy twisted and groaned in agony some more. His body was covered in a thin veil of sweat. Horny teenagers were the best.   
Once Medic had sucked his way up to the tip, he gave it another quick kiss, and then began flicking his tongue over it repeatedly.

There was a jerk, then, and Scout splattered Medic's lips and tongue with his seed, gasping in his release. Fucking embarrassing. He'd popped a preemie AGAIN.

Medic was surprised, to say the least, but he licked up the semen that landed on him, and then cleaned Scout’s cock of it as well. “Felt good, Scoutchen?” He asked amidst his cleaning, as he stroked the small of the boy’s back.

"Yeah..." Scout mumbled, cheeks still flushed with embarrassment as he came down from his orgasm. "... Sorry. I told ya - I can't handle stuff like that, man..."   
A soft chuckle. “Perhaps in time, yes?” He smiled up at the boy, tenderly.   
Scout returned the smile. "Heh... Yeah...." He hugged the man tightly.  
Medic’s erection dug into Scout’s leg, as he hugged the boy back, stroking up and down his spine again.

"... Hey, man. C'mon. Let me take care of that." A grin as Scout looked up into Medic's eyes.   
“You don’t haff to.” Medic shrugged, rubbing at the boy’s shoulder blades.

"Feels painful, man. C'mon. You can mouth-fuck me if you want. Just take it easy on my tonsils!"   
“Nein, nein.” He shook his head. “I do not like it so…violent, if you haff not noticed.” He smirked. “Tenderness is what I like. What I prefer.”

"Oh..." Scout blinked awkwardly. He didn't do tenderness very well. "Hmmm... Alright, how about this. Somethin' simple. I give you a handjob?"   
Medic smiled. “Zhat vould be nice, yes.” He nodded.

"Alright, then." Scout patted the side of the bed next to him, motioning for Medic to lie down.   
He complied, and laid there, with a soft smile, hands folded casually on his stomach.

Scout embraced him gingerly, wrapping one of his wiry arms around Medic's front, and started by gingerly rubbing the head with his thumb.   
Medic sighed, and hummed lightly in approval, letting his eyes slip close in pleasure.

"You wanna hold me back or somethin', bro?" Scout chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to the man's neck.   
“Nein…” He moaned, softly. “You are doing just fine.”   
"Good..."

Scout nuzzled the man's face and tickled the underside of the shaft gingerly. Then he began to pump ever-so softly, swirling his thumb in loose circles.   
Medic’s breath hitched a few times, and he licked his lips, thoroughly enjoying the stimulation. “Ja… Gut…” He nodded, praising the efforts, “Very good, Scoutchen.”

Scout moaned very softly in Medic's ear, pressing the thick shaft against the man's own abdominal muscles and rubbing at it insistently with the flat of his palm. It was a trick he'd learned when he was younger, and never failed to please. He could feel himself starting to pop a boner again, but he wasn't too concerned with it.

“Mmm!” Medic moaned, surprised and pleased by the action, and bucked into Scout’s hand once, his breaths starting to quicken.   
"Oh-hooo...!~" Scout purred, a wry smirk beginning on his face. "Finally getting a little eager, huh?" He nibbled on the man's ear.   
Another soft moan, and Medic reached around behind him, to grope at Scout’s ass, awkwardly.   
A laugh from Scout. "Guess I shoulda put more thought into how we sit, huh?"

Medic laughed back, gyrating his hips into the Scout’s palm. Still he groped at the young man’s firm buttock, though, holding onto it tightly, pleased with the feel of his flesh beneath his palm, and began to moan louder.

Scout squeezed tighter as the man thrust in and loosened his grip when he was pulling out, another trick he used on himself. Slight panting as he spat on his other hand and rubbed Medic's head as it breached the top of his palm.

Medic’s other hand grabbed at the mattress, and clung to it tightly, as he approached his climax. His moans increased in pitch, tempo, and volume, as his hips bucked wildly against Scout’s ministrations. Sweat poured from the roots of his bangs, and he swore, in German, as he grew ever closer to the edge.

Scout was kissing and sucking on the man's neck, wanting to hear him scream. "Fuck, fuck, yeah... Yeah, fuckin' come all over my hand - you know you want it..."

He would be a little bit disappointed. All that escaped Medic’s lips as he ejaculated was a strangled cry and several breathy, shuddering moans, his body trembling in Scout’s grip as he came down. That was definitely good enough for Scout. He purred softly as he milked Medic further, then lowered himself to lick up all the cum from the man's curly, slightly greying pubic hairs.

“No.” he stopped Scout with his hand, and looked down at him, still panting. “I…I vant to…” Medic reached down, and scooped up some of the cum with his fingers, and began smearing it over Scout’s shoulders, gently rubbing it into the flesh.

"Uh..." Scout blinked, a little creeped out. "Well... okay..."

Medic smiled, and began kissing the side of Scout’s neck as he picked up more of his seed with his fingers, and began massaging the boy’s back, using the semen as some sort of stand-in lotion. "Does that feel good?" He whispered, in mid-kiss.   
"Uh... Kinda weird, actually." Discomfort from the young man. “Why're ya doin' this, man?”

“I am not entirely sure.” Medic nuzzled Scout’s cheek. “I haff always liked doing zhis, zhough. Rubbing my seed into my partner’s skin. Perhaps it is some sort of territorial marking, I don’t know.” He kissed again, biting gently at the tender flesh. “But no sex act feels complete vithout it. Zhat’s all I know.”

"You... sure you don't mind me lickin' it all up, or somethin'?"   
“Nein.” He inhaled, kissing the boy’s neck. “I like smelling myself on you in zhe morning.” He grinned. “Like zhis morning.”

"Y...You did that already without askin' me about it?!" Scout cried, entire body going rigid from... Yes, disgust.   
“Vell, you vere already asleep.” He chuckled, but it died off when he felt the boy’s stiff posture. “Vhat is zhe matter?”

"Um... Nothing… No harm done -- I just wish you woulda asked first, is all." He felt a strong urge to shower. It was probably his imagination, but he could FEEL them squirming around on his skin!   
“And I vish you vould haff varned me before cumming all over my face, but vhat has happened has happened, yes?” He grinned, leaning in to kiss Scout tenderly on the lips.

Scout avoided the kiss, averting the kiss with a furrowed brow. “I-I mean… That was mostly an accident…” he mumbled quietly. He sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head slightly. “Listen, Doc… I know it’s kinda silly, but… I’d really appreciate if you asked next time, alright?” he asked. “Just so I’m in the loop about things… That sound okay?”  
Medic raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Vell… Alright, zhen. If it’s vhat vould make you more comfortable, zhen I suppose it doesn’t really matter, ja?”  
Scout smiled and nodded, finally leaning forward to give the man his well deserved kiss. “Yeah, hehe…”

The kiss lasted only a few seconds, and when Medic pulled away, he smiled warmly at the younger man. “Vell, I must go prepare lunch for zhe ozhers. Vould you like to help?”   
"If you want me to. Otherwise, I'm good here." Scout chuckled.

“Some help vould be nice, yes.” He nodded, and began re-dressing, within a few minutes, back to his normal, rather regal self, though his cheeks still tinted with a bit of afterglow.

Scout smiled and joined him, though he wasn't sure exactly what you could "prepare" at a time like this.


	18. Other Half

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spy makes an unwise decision, prompting an unexpected admission from Soldier.

Luckily for the survivors, this pharmacy had a rather sizable grocery section, and, though it had been picked over rather badly, there were still several things left to eat. Today’s lunch was macaroni and cheese, with some hot dogs cut up in it. Not exactly haute cuisine, but it was tasty, and it was food, and that was enough.

Spy woke up to see Soldier get up with a mutter, and stumble to the other end of the room. “Where are you going?” He called out, not rising from the table-bed yet.  
"To use the piss-bucket," Soldier grunted, unzipping his pants.  
“Oh.” Spy blushed, and turned his head away, trying to ignore the sounds of trickling liquid.

Soldier groaned. "Ya know what? Fuck fighting. When I get back to civilization, the thing I most look forward to is fucking functional plumbing!"  
“I’d just like to ‘ave a shower zhat’s not ice-cold, but we should feel lucky we ‘ave water, I guess, hein?” Spy replied, still not rolling over from his spot. “But yes, adequate plumbing would be nice.”  
"Yeah, true."

Soldier gave a few shakes, then tucked himself back in. "How you feelin'?"  
“Tired, but I zhink zhat goes wizhout saying now, hein?” Spy rolled his head over, smiling a little, worn-out smirk.

"You ain't in pain or lightheaded, now, are ya?"  
“A little of zhe second, when I turn my ‘ead, but none of zhe first.” He replied, then added, “So long as I don’t move, at least.”  
"Well, that don't sound good," Soldier sighed.  
“Non.” He closed his eyes, and laid his head back on the table, whining a little when his head spun.

"You think you might be hungry?"  
“Maybe.” Spy cracked his eyes open. “What time is it?”  
"No idea. Want me to check?"  
“No, I’ll get up.” He sat up, wincing when the muscles on his abdomen stretched painfully. Spy swung his legs over the side of the table, and just sat there, panting from the pain, clutching at his wounded side.

Soldier just blinked at him. "I don't think that's smart, Frenchie. I got hurt on the ARM. I can get up. I don't think you can." He tried his best not to baby the Frenchman.  
“I got up yesterday, I can get up today.” Spy growled, gritting his teeth. He stepped onto the floor, and limped forward, toward the door, moving at a snail’s pace, and whining softly with every movement.

Soldier huffed and crossed his arms. "Fine. If you want to hurt yourself by moving, do what you want. But don't get mad when if hurt myself trying to carry you back to the damn bed."  
Spy panted, leaning on the wall by the door. “You won’t ‘ave to carry me.” He looked back over his shoulder. “I am ‘ungry, I am going to get food. Once I ‘ave eaten it, I will come back, and sleep for zhe next zhree days.” He pressed his forehead on the wall, willing his body to have the strength to make it down the hallway.

Soldier just watched, unimpressed. Then he shrugged and went down the hallway by himself, striding easily. "Suit yourself, Sally."  
Spy frowned at how easily his companion could go where he couldn’t- worse, he was flaunting it. Well, if he could crawl across four block’s worth of rooftops with the same wounds, surely he could get out to the pharmacy.

Steeling himself with a deep breath -- though not so deep as to irritate his wound further -- he began to limp down the hallway, and out onto the pharmacy floor. Aisle after aisle were overlooked, until Spy reached the grocery section- specifically frozen goods. He reached into the freezer, grabbed a bag of frozen vegetables, and pressed it against his abdomen, before he slid to the floor, resting.

Soldier peeked around the corner, discreetly trying to make sure Spy was alright.

After laying on the floor for a few minutes, Spy felt rested enough, for now, but not enough to keep walking. Slowly, he began to scoot down the aisle on his ass, holding the bag against his wound with one hand, and using the other to brace himself.

Eventually he reached the aisle with the granola bars. Exhausted, he hauled the box down with one hand, opened it, and tried, in vain, to open one of the bars. Defeated, and panting, he slumped back on the floor.

"Want help, private?" Soldier offered his hand.  
Spy looked up at him, and frowned, then handed him the packaged bar, looking away in shame.

Soldier rolled his eyes. "C'mon, stop sulking."  
“Just give me zhe cereal bar and leave me alone.” Spy said with a pout.

"Fine." Soldier opened it, and handed it back. "... Medic's cooking something a lot better, though, if you care."  
“Define ‘better’.” Spy looked up, suspicious.  
"Well... something warm. Mac and cheese and little meaty bits. Smells good."

Spy sucked on his lower lip, salivating a little. “ ‘e will be cooking zhat all zhe way over in appliances, won’t e.” He remarked. That aisle was practically on the other side of the store.  
"Yeah I think I can help you steady yourself, though."  
“I don’t want your ‘elp!” Spy snapped, hauling himself painfully to his feet. He clung to the shelf heavily, unable to move, and barely able to stand.  
"Alright then." Soldier just stood by, watching dispassionately.

One shaky step forward, and then another, and Spy was on the floor in an instant. He fell on the ice pack, and it burst, sending frozen baby peas rolling down the aisle.

"FUCK!!!" Soldier screamed, going to the man's side in an instant. He pulled Spy close.

Spy was crying, though it was unclear whether it was from the pain or from how he felt, emotionally. Judging by the sob-stricken cries of broken English, professing how pathetic he was, it was probably the latter.

Soldier lifted up his shirt to check for any bleeding. Medic would be pissed if there was.

The bandage was, indeed, starting to show the tiniest trickle of red. Likely just a ripped scab or two, but given how much blood he’d already lost, it was enough of a cause for concern.  
Soldier glared at him, highly pissed by his poor decision making. "So, is this any less embarrassing than taking my help?" he asked in a furious, low voice.

Spy looked up at him, eyes still dripping with tears. “Désolé…” He sniffed.  
Soldier gritted his teeth. "I care about you, and I DON'T like seeing you hurt. If you're willing to put your health on the line for some stupid fucking pride, then I guess my only choice is to follow you to the gates of hell."

Grunting with exertion, Soldier lifted the man in his arms, and began dragging them back to their room.  
“Stop! Stop!” Spy cried out, weakly, “You’ll ‘urt yourself! Put me down!”  
"I didn't ask for your advice, Sweetheart," Soldier snarled, eyes steeled and hiding away any pain he might be feeling. “If you can keep disregarding your wellbeing for your petty fucking pride, then so will I.”

Spy tried to wiggle out of the other man’s grip, to no avail. Suddenly struck by inspiration, he pretended to cry out in pain. “Let go! You’re ‘urting me!”  
Soldier faltered, cursed, and placed the man on the ground. "What? What is it? What'd I hurt?"  
Shit. Spy didn’t expect him to ask. “Euh…”

Just then, Scout came scampering out to see what the noise was all about. "Hey, guys, what's going on in this--HEY!!!" A glare. "You two are supposed to be restin' up! I'm getting Medic and Heavy!"  
Soldier groaned. _NOW we're gonna get in trouble!_ he thought.

Spy noticed his concern. “I ‘ave an idea.” He explained. “I tried to get up, you went after me, and zhen zhis ‘appened.” He flopped on the floor, and pretended to be unconscious.  
"I can fight my own battles, thanks," Soldier muttered, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to the smaller man.

Spy frowned, and sat back up, wincing again. He looked down at the blood beginning to stain the bandage on his abdomen. “Merde…I really did ‘urt myself, didn’t I.”

Soldier grumbled something under his breath.  
“Pardon?” Spy looked over.

"I'll be sure to hurt myself more next time," Soldier repeated louder. _Since that seems to be the only thing to get through your thick skull,_ he added in his mind.  
“…are you…okay?” Spy scooted closer to him, concerned.

"No." Soldier's words were short and terse.  
“Let me see.” Spy stretched a bandaged hand towards his wound.

Soldier pulled away. "No. I don't like you hurting yourself. Doing things that hurt you hurts the whole group!"

"How long do you think we have to stay here before the infected root us out, huh?" he snapped. "We can't keep sitting here, waiting for you to heal, only for you to get hurt because of your STUPID pride and setting yourself back again! That's not just your own blood you're wasting! It's Medic's blood and his work!"

"I want you to stop it, Spy." Soldier’s voice dropped into a low, ominous undertone. "Next time I ask you if you need help and you do, you'd better fucking TAKE it. Got that? I wouldn't be offering if it wasn't for your own fucking sake."

Spy looked down at the floor, tears dipping on the tile. “Why do you care? Why should you care what ‘appens to me? No one else does!”  
"Because I NEED you to survive, Private."

“WHY? WHY, GODDAMN IT?!” He spat, chest shuddering with his shaky breaths.  
"Because. You're..." The man thought. "You're my other half."

“Your…what?” Spy seemed genuinely confused. He didn’t even know what the term meant, let alone what Soldier meant by it.  
"I think we're two halves of the same person," Soldier repeated solemnly. "Like twins. Only in personality."  
Spy raised his eyebrow. “ ‘ow on earzh do you figure zhat? We’re nozhing alike!”

"You say that, but we are!" Soldier snapped defensively. "We're both bullheaded and used to relying on ourselves to get stuff done! We're both really strong inside and care..." He trailed off for a moment. "... Care more about each other than ourselves..."

Spy looked up at him, and then back down to the floor. “Speak for yourself.”

Soldier was silent a moment.  
Spy was silent too.

"... Well, alright." Soldier’s voice was soft now, eyes hidden away from sight. "If that's really the way it is." He left Spy on the ground and went off to the other end of the store.

Spy sat there, thinking for a long time, and crying, too, before he couldn’t take anymore. He knew he shouldn’t have said anything. It was the truth, but he still should’ve kept quiet. And so, he began crawling and scooting towards the saferoom door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember back at the beginning of the story where I said at one point I start getting pissed off with Spy? Yeah, this is the start of that. While I really liked Spy's backstory, he was an especially frustrating muse to have to work with. And while I'm not sure exactly when I started talking to my partner about this, it was definitely brought up at this point. 
> 
> It was frustrating to have him cry and go into self loathing tailspins every time someone spoke sharply towards him, but still have to deal with his odd pride that kept getting him hurt or incapacitated just because he was unwilling to take any form of help when he was badly injured. Worse still that I'd already invested Soldier's character so heavily into being his caretaker of sorts. Someone who wasn't "all there" -- as one might put politely -- in the first place.
> 
> From this point in the RP on, you might see a bit of a passive aggressive shift in some of the characters I control. They're much less likely to take sympathy with Spy's plight and try to harshly talk some sense into him. And Soldier starts suffering as well from the... admittedly toxic hot/cold relationship with Spy he's trying to salvage. Things get a bit weird with him from here on out, just a warning. 
> 
> But hopefully that doesn't distract too much from the story as a whole! There's more than just those two and we have quite a few twists around the corner for the plot as a whole. Hope you guys enjoy it so far! Feel free to leave a comment or something.


	19. Incognito Mode

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spy stumbles across a surprising discovery, while the group debates its further use.

"Scout, you took long time to get us!" Heavy cried, coming down the steps.   
"Hey, man, I got distracted by the plot! Lay off!" the kid snapped back.

Heavy shook his head. "Never mind. Where is Spy and Soldier?"   
Scout blinked. "Iunno. They were just there a second ago..."

A metal clang echoed through the pharmacy. The bar on the saferoom door had been lifted.

"I'M ON IT, BIG GUY!" The boy raced off to pull whoever it was to safety.

It was Spy, panting, and terrified about what was to come. He saw the Scout racing towards him. “Tell Soldier I’m sorry.” He ordered, before throwing himself out the door.

There weren't many zombies around, but the ones that were began shuffling closer to investigate.   
Spy saw them moving towards him, and he began crawling toward them, eager for it all to be over. The group drew closer, and closer, and then…walked right by him. Like he didn’t even exist. Spy merely laid there, on the ground, utterly confused.

Scout shot a few of them in the head, then bashed the other one with the side of the door. "C'mon, jackass - get in here!" he screamed, hauling the man inside again.

Spy let himself be hauled, nothing but dead weight in the runner’s arms. He stared out at the world, before the saferoom door shut, utterly perplexed, and unaware of everyone standing around him in horror and shock.

"... That was a DICK move, man..." Scout said shakily. "Do you only think about yourself or some shit?"   
“WOT TH’ BLOODY HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, SPY?” Sniper screamed, double and triple checking that the door was secure and shut.   
Medic merely set to examining the man’s wounds, shaking his head, disappointed.

Spy looked past them all, at nothing. “_…ils n’ont me remarqué pas…_”   
"You said something?" Heavy asked, concerned   
Spy looked up at him, like a lost puppy. “_Ils n’ont me remarqué pas._” He repeated, “_Ils n’ont me remarqué pas!_”

Scout slapped him.   
"SCOUT!" Heavy cried.   
"WHAT?! I saw it on a movie once! It's to stop him from talking like a princess that fell on her head too hard!"

“Zhey didn’t notice me.” Spy repeated, this time in English.   
“Vhat?” Medic looked up, in mid-stitch.   
“Zhey didn’t…it was like zhey didn’t even see me! Zhey walked right past!”   
Scout glanced at Sniper.

Sniper glanced back at him, and walked over to Spy, kneeling down so he was eye level with the man. “Wot’re you sayin’?”   
“…I zhink…zhey can be…tricked. Tricked into zhinking we…we’re like zhem.”   
"Or maybe you're already becomin' one of them!" Scout cried, readying his pistol again.

“Easy, easy!” Sniper held up his hand, and walked back to the door. There was one regular zombie, but he looked like in life he was fond of fake tans. “Perfect.” He turned back to the group. “Watch my back.” Another clang, as the door’s bar was lifted off again.

Scout shuffled up and peered between the bars, pistol raised.

Sniper got down low, and crawled out, dragging himself along the ground, making noises like one of the common infected as Medic stood by the door, to watch. The infected all grumbled and leaned heavily on the wall, as if resting their heads.

Sniper crawled around on his belly, snarling and growling. He made it all the way to the tan infected, who looked almost like he was trying to pick his nose, completely overlooking the fact that it had long since rotted away.

Still in his posture, Sniper crawled around the infected a few times, and even bumped some of them, lightly, with his leg, as a test.

Nothing.

Pleased by this newfound discovery, Sniper crawled his way back to the saferoom door. “What’d’ya think, boys?” he asked triumphantly.

Scout blinked, staring at him as Medic put all the safeguards back into place. "Weird..."   
"So as long as they do not look at us directly, and we sound like one of them, we are safe?" Heavy asked, scratching his chin.   
"Hey, whoa, whoa, guys. We still go special infected ta think about," Scout warned. "They're smarter than those bozos out there."

“Strewth.” Sniper nodded, brushing the dirt off his pant legs. “But it’s a start, ain’t it?” He grinned, but it fell as he noticed Medic’s scowl. The doctor was silent, and just shook his head. He did NOT think this was a good idea.

Scout shrugged. "If Medic don't think it's that good of an idea, I don't either. Looks pretty damn risky. Just how fast can we go crawlin' on the floor like that?"

“Who says we hafta go fast?” Sniper crossed his arms. “We can properly pace ourselves like that, and we’ll have all the time in the world, because th’infected won’t give a damn ‘bout us!” Seeing the Medic and Scout’s disapproval, he turned to Heavy. “What d’you think, big guy?”

Heavy frowned and shook his head. "I cannot do. Am not so good at... er... crawling."   
“Well…maybe some of us could crawl, and find a car, or a truck or something!” Sniper tried. “And then come back for the others! It’s…sort of a plan, ain’t it?”

Scout grinned. "And what's the problem with our old plan of kickin' ass and takin' names, huh?"   
“Look at us, Scout. Look at our group.” He gestured, specifically, to Spy. “Y’really think we can stick with that sort of plan with so many of us in this sort of state?”

A pause.

"Well then we'll kick ass until we find a car and THEN drive it back to save everyone! None of this sneakin' shit." A pout as the boy crossed his arms. "And don't even bother asking Solly what he thinks because he'll probably agree with me, so there." He smirked.

“We’ll just see.” Sniper frowned. He didn’t like how the kid wasn’t on his side this time. Didn’t feel good. “OI! SOLDIER. WHERE ARE YA?” He cupped his hands around his mouth and called out.

No response.

"OI! SOLLY!" He tried again.   
"Oh, right!" Scout gasped. "He was missin', too! Anyone see where he went?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Medic sighed. “Alright. Ve spread out und search for him. Sniper, zhe roof, Scout zhe grocery and appliance sections, Heavy, take Spy and search zhe back rooms, and I vill take zhe rest of zhe pharmacy. Jawohl?”

Nodding. Sniper and Medic both strode off with their long legs to their respective searching zones. Scout sprinted off, feet as quick as his temper. Spy, however, oblivious of the whole exchange, just sat there, staring at the saferoom door.

Heavy nudged Spy a little. "Hello? Spy? We must find Soldier, da? Are you hurting?"   
“…No.” Spy decided, finally, and shook his head. “We are finding Soldier? Where is ‘e?” He asked, reaching out to the other man, to help him stand.

Heavy lifted him up, providing ample support. Well, physically, at least. "We do not know yet. But we are to search back rooms. You are coming, yes?"   
“Don’t really ‘ave much of a choice, do I.” He deadpanned, letting the other man all but carry him to the back rooms.

"You want to rest in bed?"   
“I…suppose.” He sighed. He didn’t want to sleep, but he really felt like just laying down and thinking for a bit.

Heavy nodded and carried Spy back to the ‘medical bay’. Where Spy just stared up at the ceiling, already deeply lost in thought. 


	20. Psychosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medic finds Soldier. It isn't pretty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I'm not a mental health expert, which is probably obvious in this. I rewrote some of the dialogue slightly to (hopefully) more accurately portray what a mental breakdown might look like, but at the end of the day, my outlook is a bit limited.

It was Medic who found Soldier first. He was sitting, hunched over in a corner with a paper bag pulled over his head. The man's form trembled slightly. He was also naked, his clothes strewn all over the floor.

Medic approached him, cautiously. “Soldier?” He asked, gently.

Soldier hunched over even more, as if he were trying to disappear from the very earth.

The doctor came a bit closer, crouching near the floor. “Soldier. Vhat is wrong? Are you hurt?”  
"I... don't know..." His voice sounded distant, almost as if it was coming from another room all together.

“Can you take zhe paper bag off of your head, bitte?” Medic asked, also gently, slowly moving towards Soldier.  
"No." There was something in his voice, then. Fear, maybe.  
“Vhy not?”

Soldier was silent for a long time. "I don't know what's left of me."

Now Medic was concerned. “Soldier. Please, take off the bag. I am asking you as a doctor -- I need to ensure that you are alright.”  
"No, no, no. No." Soldier clutched it tighter.

“Soldier.” He ordered, sternly, taking the other man by the shoulders. “Just lift up the bag, let me see zhat you are alright, and zhen you can put it back down. I promise.”  
"I'm not a real person,” he babbled. “You can't."

“Soldier, tell me vhat’s wrong. Tell me vhat happened.” He gripped more tightly at the man’s shoulders, shaking him slightly.  
"The world’s falling apart. I'm nothing anymore. I don't have anything to... To..." He didn't finish his sentence. It was pretty obvious he didn't know how.

Medic sighed. “Soldier, I am going to just peek under your bag. I need to make sure zhat you haff not hurt yourself. Okay?”  
A whimper from the once-proud American.  
“Hold still, bitte.” With gentle hands, Medic slowly lifted the bag up enough to see Soldier’s face.

There were long, thin welts and some scratches all over his face, as if he'd been clawing at it, but no serious harm. His eyes were closed and there was a large bruise on the center of his forehead. He also had several bite marks on his hands and arms.

Medic shook his head sadly. “Vhat happened, Soldier? Vhy vould you do zhis to yourself?”  
"I… needed to feel something. _Anything..._" Soldier’s eyes seemed to wander aimlessly. "It’s like… I’m floating in space. I don’t know where I am..." His breath seemed to shorten.  
“Calm down. Come vith me.” Medic held out his hand. “I vill take you out back. Perhaps you need some rest.”

"No. No. I... I should be here. I should stay here so that..." He rocked slightly. "So that I'll know where I am when I come back... I'll get lost if you take me."  
“You vill not get lost. You vill be in zhe back room, vhere you’ve been for a vhile, remember?” Medic soothed, stroking the man’s upper arm with one hand. “I promise, I vill not lose you.”

"No, no, no, no, no..." The man shook his head and rocked back and forth, clutching it tighter to his head. "Go away. This body right now is just… Just a shell. My spirit is wandering around and if you move the body, I’ll be lost forever. You’ll kill me."

“Soldier. Soldier.” Medic tried to snap him out of this. He took hold of his hand, and held it tightly. “Please. It is for your safety. It von’t kill you, I promise. I can keep a better eye on you back zhere. Please, Soldier, please.”

"I have to come back first. Then I can go." Soldier insisted as he chewed at the heel of his palm.  
“Come back from vhere, Soldier?” Medic’s nerves were starting to get frayed now.  
"From… Nothingness."

Medic sighed again, and tried a different approach. “You know…Spy left zhe saferoom. He tried to leave, at least. Ve hauled him back, but…he got hurt. Don’t you vant to go see him? Make sure he’s alright?”

Soldier paused. A hushed, "No."  
“Vhy not?”  
"Because he doesn’t care if I live or die. And neither do I."

An exasperated sigh. “Soldier, if you do not come vith me now, I vill drag you back zhere.”  
Soldier whimpered with fear. "You'll kill me. I'll never know where I am if I'm not here when I get back."

Medic stormed off, still watching Soldier from the corner of his eye. “_HEAVYYY!_” He called out as he ran.  
"You have found him?" Heavy called back. Soldier didn't move, apparently unaware of what was going on.

“I need your help!” He shouted over the shelf of nail polish. “He’s in…some sort of catatonic state! He von’t go anyvhere! Hurry!”  
"Am coming!"

Heavy rushed over, concerned for his ally.  
Medic met him as he rounded the corner of the aisle. “Down zhere.” He pointed. “Be careful, zhough. He’s already hurt himself.”

Heavy stared. "He is... naked?"  
A sigh. “Ja. I know. Just…get him, please.”

Heavy nodded and grabbed the man. Soldier started, but didn't move otherwise. When Heavy began moving him, he gasped, as if in pain.  
"Why are you doing this?" Soldier whimpered. "You'll kill me. You'll kill me...! Don’t take me back, I’m begging--"

Medic, meanwhile, moved back to the infirmary area. Spy was laying on his half of the two tables, just staring off into space. Medic took the other table, moved it away, and began preparing the leather straps they’d need to hold Soldier down.

Some ancient part of Soldier’s brain recognized the Frenchman’s reclined form. "No, no, no, no, no, no..." he whimpered, still trying to squirm out of Heavy's grasp.  
“Put him down here, bitte.” Medic instructed, once Heavy had managed to get him in the room.

Soldier was placed gingerly on the table, whimpering quietly. "Why are you doing this...? Why is this happening? I hate it..."  
“Shh…shh…” Medic soothed, attaching the straps to Soldier’s arms and legs. “Just keep calm, Soldier. Ve haff to do zhis, to make sure you don’t hurt yourself anymore. Do you understand?”

"I don't have a soul anymore," Soldier stated, as if it were a perfectly appropriate response.  
“Shh…” He soothed again, readying a syringe. “Of course you do. Now just relax.” Medic pushed the needle into Soldier’s arm.

"No, no, no, I... I..." Soldier struggled for a few moments longer and then drifted off.  
Heavy shook his head. "Have never seen man so disturbed. Well, once, but he was killed by mad dog soon."

Medic threw the syringe in the appropriate receptacle, and leaned on the desk, sighing. He was silent for a moment, and then turned back to the two on the tables. Spy was still staring off into space, muttering quietly in French under his breath.

“Zhe vorst cases of shell shock I haff seen in a long time. And vhat a time to deal vith it.” He sighed, sitting down on his stool, and rubbing his temples. "Zhis is not good. He’s completely disassociated..."

Heavy patted his shoulder. "Maybe we should put him out of his misery... Is not fair to him."  
Medic looked up at the two men on the tables. “…vhich vone are you referring to?”  
Confusion from the lumbering Russian. "Soldier, yes? Spy is..." He trailed off. "... Better...?" Probably.

“For now, yes, but how long until he is as bad as zhat?” He gestured towards Soldier, and sighed. “I am not a psychiatrist. I…I cannot help zhem. I don’t know vhat to do.”  
Heavy sighed. Physical wounds could be healed easily, but this... This was different.

He went over to Spy. "Hello... Please talk to me."  
“_…qu'appartiennent le règne, la puissance et la gloire-_“ Spy stopped, in mid-sentence, to look over at Heavy. “_Pardon?_”

Heavy smiled, relieved. "Is good to talk to you... Soldier is... very upset... I wondered if... you can fix?"  
Spy looked away for a moment, and then back to Heavy. “ ‘e is angry wizh me. ‘e won’t want to speak to me.”

"Angry?" Surprise. "How could this be...?"  
“I ‘urt myself earlier, and ‘e was angry at me for it.” Spy explained. “…and I said somezhing zhat I probably shouldn’t ‘ave.”

"Can... un-say it?" Heavy asked, translating it awkwardly. "Soldier is... very simple man..." He lowered his voice. "He would not think of it again."  
Spy shook his head. “Angry is angry. ‘e won’t want to see me. Not after what a… _connard_ I was.”  
Heavy nodded, respecting his wishes. "You are okay?" He risked a hug for the slender man.

Spy let him, but didn’t hug back. He just let his head flop to the side. Then, he saw. “…Soldier? Wh-what ‘appened to ‘im? Why is ‘e…?”  
"Naked...?" Heavy offered, embarrassed. "I do not know."

“Tied down.” Spy finished.  
“It is for his own good.” Medic explained. “He vas hurting himself.”

“WHAT?!” Spy sprang up, heedless of his own injuries, and was at Soldier’s side in an instant. “Soldier! Soldier wake up, you idiot! _Pourquoi as-tu fait ca! Pourquoi?!_”  
"He is... drugged, Spy. Is no use." Heavy patted the man's back. "Try again when he awakes."

Spy swatted at the larger man, and turned instantly back to Soldier, shaking him and shouting in French. “_Réveille-toi! Réveille-toi! Pourquoi?! Pourquoi...?_”He trailed off, sobbing, and sank to the floor. He knew it was all his fault that the other man was like this.

Medic crossed to him. “Heavy.” He gestured towards Spy, indicating for the other man to pick him up.  
Heavy attempted to lift the man. "Spy... Spy... Is okay... We can fix, da?"  
“_C’est ma faute, c’est toute ma faute…_” he babbled on, dead weight in Heavy’s arms. “_C’est toujours ma faute…_”

Heavy glanced at Medic, defeated. "Spy, do you... Do you want to share the bed with Soldier?" He felt that some human contact would do some both some good. And they might be able to make up during the night.

Still sobbing, he merely nodded. He’d grown accustomed to having the larger man’s arms around him as he slept. He couldn’t imagine sleeping without it now, honestly.

Medic looked displeased with this, but with Heavy’s help, he moved the two tables together again, so Spy could sleep next to Soldier, and have room. “_Fess…_” He sighed, walking slowly out of the room, in search of the Scout. He needed some stress relief.

Heavy sighed and rubbed Spy's back. "Do you want to talk about what happened?" He asked softly.  
“_Nonnnn…_” He whined, curling up against the restrained Soldier.

Under the paper bag, Spy could see some of the damage Soldier had caused himself. Spy pulled the paper bag off, and traced the injuries, gingerly, tears still in his eyes. With his other hand, he pulled off his balaclava, and threw it to the floor, immediately hiding his face in the crook of Soldier’s neck.

Heavy respectfully looked away, sighing.

After several minutes of crying like this, Spy fell asleep, practically on top of Soldier, ignoring the fact that the other man was completely naked.

Heavy covered the two up with a blanket and began eating a bowl of mac and cheese Medic had prepared earlier.

* * *

Elsewhere, Scout smiled, jabbing Sniper in the ribs. "So what do you do for fun now that I'm not here all the time to make your life a million times better, huh?" he asked, grinning crookedly.

Sniper grinned back. “I revel in the silence.”

"Yeah right. More like revel in your hand, Camper." Scout grinned, tapping the brim of his hat up casually. There was a short pause, and the kid soon added, "Ya know... I really miss buggin' ya." A fond smile this time.

Sniper smiled back, but looked away, and it slowly fell. “Really…hurt me t’day, y’did, when y’wouldn’t take my side.”

A blink. "What...?" Scout pouted. "C'mon, man... We disagree about stuff all the time! And you know I'm more of a kick-ass person, anyways. Not a sneaky one like you or French Fry. You're still my..." He trailed off. "... Best... friend," he finished awkwardly.

Sniper smiled gently. “... Aye?”

"Yeah. And..." A sniffle, and the boy hugged him tightly. "My fuckin' Pops, man." It was the first time Scout had openly admitted how he looked up to Sniper like a dad instead of just a mentor.

Sniper felt his eyes go a little watery, but he looked away to hide this, and just wrapped his arm around Scout. “You’re…you’re a good kid, Peter. Real good.” He sniffed hard, and wiped his eyes with one finger.

Scout held Sniper tightly for a little longer, then straightened up, giving a tiny, embarrassed smile. "Yeah... You are, too, Vince..." An awkward pause. "So, uh... You ain't gonna tell anyone I cried, are ya?"

“Maybe.” He grinned down at him, and chuckled.

Scout punched him playfully on the arm, then sat quietly with the man, enjoying the sunset.

“Scoutchen?” A sheepish voice interrupted their little moment, and approached them, clearly stressed. “May I…see you?”

"Er... Sure, Doc." Scout gave Sniper another smile and a clap on the back, then hopped down to walk with the elderly doctor. "Somethin' wrong? You found Soldier, right?"

“Ja, ve…ve did.” He sighed as he slowly made his way down the stairs. “He is in a…very poor mental state, zhough. It…it is a problem.”

"Aw, shit... Guess we shoulda known when he wasn't attached to Spy, huh?"

“Ja.” He nodded. “And I dreading haffing to deal vith zhis…situation.” He rubbed at his temples. “I vas vondering if you vould be villing to provide some sort of…stress relief?”

"I think I can..." Scout grinned again


	21. Heat (Explicit)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scout gives Medic a physical release of his tension.

“Want another handjob?” Scout purred, nuzzling Medic gently. “Ya seemed to like it last time…”

“Nein.” He tossed a bottle of lubricant he’d stowed in his coat pocket. “You said you had done it before, ja?”

Scout gave a delighted squeal. "FUCK YEAH, I HAVE!" he cried. "But, uh... But, wait. We don't got any condoms, do we?" He trusted Medic - especially after the search given in the shower, but he still preferred to wear a condom because... He tried to keep his vehicle away from head-on collisions on the Hershey Highway.

“Vell…” Medic looked around, and then tossed one at Scout. “I managed to save vone box. Ve use zhem sparingly. Understood?”  
"Yeah, I do. Maybe we'll come across more later or somethin'."  
He chuckled, and put his arm around Scout’s shoulders. “Perhaps. Now, shall ve?” he gestured to the bedroom.

Scout grinned and nodded, leading the way.

Once inside, there was much less of that teasing pretense from their previous times. Medic quickly stripped to the waist, and laid out on the bed, waiting for Scout.

Scout stalked on top of the man, loving the feeling of power and safety he felt during these incredibly intimate moments. He kissed Medic deeply, pressing their bodies together.  
Medic moaned, softly, into the young man’s mouth, wrapping his arms around his still-clothed body, yanking at the fabric of the shirt. He wanted it off.

"Alright, alright...." Scout chuckled, complying.  
Grinning, Medic ran his hands over the warm flesh along Scout’s spine, slamming his lips against Scout’s again.

It was then that Scout realized just how badly Medic needed this. _The heat was on._   
Medic’s nails dug into the boy’s tender flesh, and the insistent bulge in his pants pressed up against him._ Bring it._   
Scout broke the kiss and stuck his fingers into Medic's mouth, sucking on the man's neck as he did.

The older man moaned around the digits, and, worried that he’d use mere spit as lubricant, he nudged the bottle from earlier into Scout’s other hand, to remind him. Just in case.   
_Oh yeah._ Scout smiled sheepishly, but was hesitant to let Medic know that had been his intent, and snaked his hand down to the man's cock.

Through the fabric of his pants, Medic’s erection throbbed in the boy’s hand. He groaned, bucking his hips upward, desperate for more.   
Scout rubbed the thing against Medic's abdomen as he'd done before, still sucking on the man's neck and grinding his stiffening erection against the man's hip.

Medic shucked his pants off the rest of the way, and tugged at Scout’s pants, encouraging him to do the same. He sighed, and moaned softly at the boy’s warm, skilled hands, working his hard member.   
Scout wriggled out of his pants, making sure to keep constant contact with the man's member, now massaging his balls as well. He looked around for any spare rubber gloves for when he started actually fingering the man.

Medic had some, but they were in the infirmary. That matter was far from his mind now. He gasped suddenly, and his balls tightened as his seed splashed across his abdomen and Scout’s hand. Even older men could lose it once in a while.

Scout laughed. "Awww, damn it! I over-did it, huh?" He smeared some of the cum over Medic's hand so that he could rub it in, himself. He was a little more comfortable with the idea now.  
He laughed back, cheeks red both from embarrassment, and from the sex. Tenderly, but faster than last time, he began rubbing the seed into Scout’s abdomen, tickling his ribs a little as his fingers danced across them.

Scout laughed a bit. "Feeling any better yet?"   
“Mmm… A little.” He smiled, smearing the last of the cum into the boy’s stomach. “But I still vant mehr…” He cupped the boy’s balls underneath his hard shaft, and began to rub them, gently.   
A moan. Scout spread his legs for the man to grant him full access.

Sucking at the boy’s neck, he began to fondle his package, spurring him on to greater arousal. With his other hand, he slipped the lubricant into Scout’s hand again.   
Scout paused. "Uh, is it alright if I grab some rubber gloves, man?" Embarrassment.   
“Hmm? Oh, ja, ja. Zhey’re across zhe hall, in zhe infirmary.” He smiled, laying back down onto the mattress. “Hurry. I vill be vaiting.” He spread his legs, showing off his cock and toned thighs.

Scout flushed and dashed off. Bare-ass nekkid.

Heavy looked up from his book when Scout ran in the room. Poker face.

Scout blinked, then huffed and held up his head. "Sorry, big boy. This item's not on the menu." He confidently strutted to the countertop where the gloves were, snatched them, and then scampered off.

Heavy watched him go, and shrugged after a moment, turning back to his book.

"Got 'em!" Scout panted, rushing back in. "Now, where were we...."

Medic was on the mattress where Scout had left him, stroking his softening cock. It would be a while before he could get it up again, but he didn’t need to for what was about to happen. “You vere going to fuck me, Scoutchen.” He purred, taking his hand off his cock, and spreading his thighs.

"Oh, you bet I was... Er--am." Scout quickly snapped on the glove, and got his fingers all nice and lubed up.

Medic chuckled, and rolled onto his stomach, leaving his ass up in the air, his legs still spread out before Scout.   
"Oh, man, that’s beautiful..." Scout gasped, rubbing his cock along the back of the man’s thigh. His gloved, lubed finger traced the inside of the man's crack.

“Mmm…” He moaned, softly, “Do it, Scoutchen, yes…”   
"Oh, you bet, Doc..." Scout chuckled, slowly circling the man's tight hole. One finger squirmed in, and the boy sighed, cock throbbing against the older man.   
Medic cried out in pleasure, and balled up his fist against the mattress, his hole tightening around Scout’s finger.

"Fuck, man, I don't even know what to do wit' ya, yer so damn horny..." Scout chuckled, leaning forward and nibbling Medic's ear.   
“Mmm…” He moaned again, breaths quickening, “Fuck me…” he suggested.

"Hold on, hold on..." Scout chuckled starting to slide in his second finger.   
“Oh… Fuck me…” He cried out again, feeling the stabs of pain along with pleasure this time. “Scout…” He moaned, reaching back to grab at the boy’s free hand, so he could hold it.

Scout leaned back on his knees and joined hands with the man, working to stretch him out. "You gotta dirty mouth today, Doc..."   
There was no response, save for the man’s heavy breathing, and clenching and relaxing of his hands, as Scout’s fingers moved inside of him, causing pain one minute, and pleasure the next.

"You think this is enough prep or what?" Scout huffed, anxious to be sheathed inside of him.

Medic wanted to say yes, but he knew it had been a while since last he’d been penetrated, so he replied, “A little more, bitte. Vone more finger.” It didn’t help that he was still a little apprehensive about being taken in this way after so long.   
"Sure thing." A comforting kiss.   
“Danke, liebling.” He sighed, still holding onto the boy’s other hand. Against the mattress, he could feel himself starting to get hard from all of this.

A little more stretching, then Snout gingerly pressed another finger inside. "Liebling? What's that mean?" he huffed.   
A groan at the penetration, followed by a shudder of pleasure. “It is a…” He panted, adjusting to the thicker intrusion. “A term of endearment. Like my darling, my sveet. Zhat sort of zhing.”

"Aw, I'm yer darlin', now?" Scout jeered playfully, easing his fingers in and out.   
Medic chuckled, and moaned when Scout began fucking him with his hand. “You alvays vere…” He smiled into the mattress, moving up onto his knees a little, to give his burgeoning erection more room to grow.   
Scout gave another tender kiss, then grinned when he saw the erection. "Fuck yeah--I get a toy to play with, too!"

The doctor sighed, and began moving against Scout’s fingers, in the rhythm of sex. He moaned with every thrust of the boy’s fingers. He was definitely ready.   
Scout took off the glove, applied his condom, and got comfortable behind the Medic. Slowly, he entered the man from behind, grunting softly.

Medic cried out in pain and pleasure as Scout’s cock breached the tight ring of muscle, but the way that his hips thrust back against Scout’s, it was obvious that there was more of the latter than the former.

"Awww... fuck... You're tighter 'n..." Scout grunted. "A cap on a bottle of fuckin' ketchup -- fuck..."

Medic looked over his shoulder at Scout, and laughed. Possibly the worst dirty talk he’d ever heard. He leaned up more, and kissed the boy’s cheek as best he could from the angle, taking hold of one of his hands again.

Scout smiled sheepishly in return, and continued thrusting his hips forward, building a slow, steady rhythm.

No matter how badly Medic ever needed to be fucked, he still liked it slow. This was heaven for him. Well…almost. Eager to really enjoy this, he led Scout’s hand down to his now-fully-hard member.

"Oh, right..." Scout chuckled, pumping the man with on hand. "That's gonna be three times in a few hours! You're like a Superman when it comes ta fucking..." he purred, stroking it gingerly.   
“Oh gott! Ja! Ja!” He cried out in pleasure, falling back into his native tongue again. “Oh gott…mein liebling, ja!” Medic panted, his hips bucking both against Scout’s penetration, and into his warm little hand.

Scout whined, wanting to go a little faster, but her knew how Medic was. He decided to stroke against the man's prostate as agonizingly slow as he could.   
Medic moaned, high, and long, every time the young man’s cock pressed against that sensitive place inside him. Fully beyond any words at this point, he was reduced to gasps and moans, voicing how wondering this felt.

Scout came first inside of the man, but kept thrusting, groaning and crying Medic's name as he shuddered against his form.

Medic groaned, clenching around Scout’s cock, trying to get more stimulation, but he knew it was too late. Defeated, and unsatisfied, he let his head rest on the mattress, his cock still hard and throbbing in Scout’s hand.

Scout kept thrusting as best as he could in the man's body, whimpering. The extra stimulation kept him moderately hard, and he pumped Medic's cock as best as he could.

“It’s no good, Scout. Stop.” He whispered, stilling the other boy’s hand. It just wasn’t enough to make him cum.   
"I... I can finger ya again! C'mon, just a little more, Doc," Scout pleaded.   
Medic sighed, then relented. “Okay. Okay, try.” He nodded, raising his head from the mattress.

Scout pulled out, quickly snapped on a glove and lubed his fingers, then began pumping the man's cock and stroking his prostate again.   
The older man moaned and gasped, and thrashed about in obvious pleasure, but it wasn’t enough. “Vait, vait. On my back.” He ordered, turning around to lay down more comfortably.

Scout nodded. "What do you want me to do? Keep going?" He rubbed the man's cock gingerly, circling the head with his thumb.   
“Ja, ja, bitte!” Medic cried out, arching into the hand, “Keep going!”

Scout quickly inserted his fingers again, and began stroking that little pleasure point repeatedly, rubbing the man's cock.   
Medic cried out, his body trembling with pleasure. “S-Scout! Ich…_ich…_” His jaw dropped in a silent scream as he reached that wonderful precipice.

Scout sighed in relief, slowing his ministrations, but not stopping as a few more droplets of the milky white substance dripped out. Medic was really spent. An exhausted smile. "Stress free yet?"   
A few pants were his only answer for a while, then an exhausted “Ja…” and a nod of the head. “Danke, mein liebling…” He whispered, sleepily, too tired to even perform his usual cum-smearing ritual.

Scout raised his fingers and smeared it into his skin with the man's hands as best as he could. This was better than licking it up, he thought. Medic really was quite bitter and salty.   
Medic watched the boy do the work for him, utterly entranced. Once he’d gotten it all, he gave him a fond smile, and opened his arms for him to join him on the bed.

Scout snuggled into his arms with a soft sigh, and the two fell asleep together.   
“Gute nacht, mein liebling…” Medic whispered, kissing the boy’s soft hair before he fell asleep.


	22. The Deadline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After things take a turn for the worst with Spy's condition, Heavy decides to give Medic an ultimatum.

It was well into the night before Soldier woke up again. He shivered, scared, dejected, and naked, with his limbs strapped down against his will. He stared up at the ceiling, with tears dripping down his eyes. He didn't know what was going to become of him.

For a while, he was unaware of the other man’s weight, settled on his chest, face buried in the crook of his neck. Spy stirred a little, when Soldier shivered, and unconsciously wrapped his arms around him a little tighter, trying to warm him.

Soldier felt pretty removed from existence, but still couldn't help his curiosity. He tried his best to get a good look at the person or thing beside him.

When he shifted, Spy whined a little in his sleep, shifting himself. “Tiens-toi tranquille…” he mumbled, sleepily. “Je dors encore…”

Soldier felt like he knew the voice, once. "Who are you...?" he asked softly, almost fearfully.

“Hein?” he mumbled again, into Soldier’s neck, eyes still closed in sleep.

"Leave me alone..." Soldier began trembling more. The more he thought about this strange person - this strange voice - the more his chest ached. He didn't like it. This person was bad. This person had hurt him once. Had killed him. He didn't want them to be close to him. They'd kill him again.

“Tais toi…” he mumbled again, turning his head in the other direction, his scarred cheek facing up. “J’essaie dormir…”

Terror. "NO, GET AWAY!" Soldier cried, struggling suddenly against his restraints. "Get away!!! You won't kill me again! Get away!!!"

“Hein?” Spy raised his head, and sat up, blinking the sleep out of his bleary eyes. “Qu’est-ce qui s’ passe? Vas-tu bien?”

Soldier looked at him with pure panic, still trying to struggle away. "Don't kill me, don't kill me, please..."   
"Leave me alone..."

“Te tuais? Quoi?” Spy looked down at him, confused. “Pourquoi tu penses que je ferais ca, Soldier? Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?”

"Spy," Heavy cut in softly. "You are speaking different language. It may be what is scaring Soldier."

“Quoi?” He turned to look at Heavy. “Je…je parle dans une autre langue?” He seemed genuinely shocked, and touched at his lips, confused why they were working against him. “Je…pourquoi…?”

Heavy just blinked. A tiny whimper came from the bed, and the man shook his head. "Speak English, Spy. You are scaring him," Heavy repeated.

“Mais je crus que j’etais…” He pulled at his lips, trying to coax them into proper working order. “Je ne peut pas!” He looked over at Heavy, frightened. “Je ne peut pas parle Anglais! Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas avec moi?”

Soldier finally lost it, and just began screaming as loudly as he could, as if it could save him. Heavy cursed, and began rummaging around for more sedative. The entire horde would be ripping the place apart in minutes if he kept it up.

Spy jumped off the table, and backed away from him, hitting the wall. Medic ran in, half-dressed, swore, and quickly found the sedative Heavy had been looking for. He took it out, readied it quickly, and plunged it into Soldier’s arm.

Heavy huffed. "S... Sorry.. I thought I could handle him..."

Soldier moaned softly, and looked around with his eyes half-lidded, but for some reason, he was straining to stay awake. He couldn't last any more than a few minutes at the most, though.

Still trembling, Spy walked forward, as he peered down at Soldier quickly losing his consciousness.

Medic looked up at the two. “Vhat happened?”

"Spy will not stop speaking French!" Heavy cried, motioning angrily to the man. "It is scaring Soldier, but he would not stop!" A huff. "I thought he would help Soldier, but things are probably worse now..."

Soldier looked up at Spy as if he were a knife-wielding maniac in a dark alley. And a stranger.

“Soldier…” he sniffled, looking down at him, and seeing the fear in his eyes, he backed away. He sat down on the stool in the corner, and buried his head in his hands, trembling. “Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas avec moi?” He moaned, softly, mournfully.

Medic looked over at Spy, and then back to Heavy. “Vhat is wrong vit him?”   
"I do not know." He looked back down at Soldier. "But I am losing hope for Soldier."

Medic sighed, and looked back over to Spy. “Spy, stand up.”   
Spy sniffled, looked up at him, and complied.

“Vhat did you do?”   
“Quoi? Je-je ne fai-“   
“In English.”   
“…Je ne peut pas.”

Medic frowned, and turned back to Heavy. “Vhy is he only speaking in French?”   
"BECAUSE HE WANTS ME TO PUNCH HIM!" Heavy snapped, glaring holes into the man.

Spy recoiled, against the wall. Medic held out his hand, to stop Heavy. “Spy. Can you speak English?”   
A shake of the head.   
“Vhy not?”   
“Je ne sais pas!” He shrugged, growing desperate.

Medic frowned at this, perplexed.

Heavy rolled his eyes. "Spy, stop playing tricks. Whatever you did to Soldier was very mean, and you should say sorry IN ENGLISH."   
“JE NE PEUT PAS!” He yelled, exasperated.

Medic held out his hands. “Gentlemen, calm yourselves.” He turned back to Spy. “Spy, can you understand vhat ve are saying?”   
A nod.   
“Yet you cannot speak in zhe same language?”   
“Oui, je sais qu’il n’a pas du sense, mais-“

Medic interrupted him, holding out his hand, and he merely nodded instead. “Curious.” He replied, pacing, his thumb under his chin.

Heavy marched out, steaming. He needed to cool off. Sniper was right -- they probably should have left the two men there. He'd hoped that with care and rest, they would recover and help contribute, but there was nothing useful about having two basket cases that required constant supervision and medical supplies - of which, there were already dwindling supplies. He would have to talk to Sniper again.

Medic meanwhile, sat Spy down, and began examining him, trying to figure out what was wrong.

Sniper was still up on the roof, looking at the stars, when Heavy came up. “Hey, mate. How’s it goin’?”

"Not good," Heavy rumbled, sitting across from the man. "I am regretting bringing Spy with us. Soldier is now hurting himself and screaming and naked because of him, and he keeps on scaring Soldier, and..." Frustration. "They are not getting better! Not even little teensy little bit!"

“Waitwait, what?” Sniper raised an eyebrow. “The fuck’s this about Solly naked and screaming?”   
"Wish I knew. He is... Crazy."   
“And wot’s wrong with Spy, now, then?”   
"He will not stop speaking French, and it scares Soldier!"

“Why won’t he stop speaking French?” Sniper pulled out a cigarette, popped one in his mouth, and offered the carton to Heavy.   
"I don't know..." Heavy sighed, taking it and lighting up. "I think he says he cannot stop, but still is in French! I think it is trick."

“ ‘m sure it ain’t, mate.” Sniper puffed away on his own cig. “Spy don’t seem like the type to do somethin’ like that. Somethin’ must be wrong with ‘im.”   
"Hmmm...." Heavy shrugged. "So we have two with brain problem and are hurting badly. We cannot continue and still have them. We need more safety than tiny building."

“Wot about Solly’s plan for a boat?” He asked, and pointed out to the horizon. “Can just make out the coast with th’scope. It’d take some doin’, but we could get there.”   
"We could. But we need them to get better or on way to get better before, yes? Physical wounds can heal, but they are both... Beyond help!"

Sniper was silent for a minute. “Wot d’you wanna do, then?”   
Heavy looked away for a moment, then sighed. "Is... hard for me to say... But... I do not think they will get better. If there is no progress in three days, I think we should..."

“Kill ‘em?”   
"... Yes," Heavy murmured softly.

Sniper sighed, but nodded. “Three days, then.”   
A nod. "I... I am sorry. For before. You were always right."

Sniper shook his head, not fond of this decision they’d made. He stood, and flicked his cigarette to the ground. “We talk to the doc, first, alroight? See wot he thinks.”   
A pause, then a nod from Heavy.

“Alright, then.” Sniper nodded. “ ‘m headin’ off to bed. I’ll chat with him in the morning.”   
A nod. "I will go to bed, too. Let's tell Medic three days from tomorrow. Goodbye." The big man made his exit.   
“Night.” He nodded, and closed the door, tightly, behind him as he left the roof.

Night fell and the sun rose again, peeking in the slits between the 2 by 4’s across the windows. Medic had stayed in the infirmary, sleeping on a chair, while Spy had curled up in a corner with a blanket thrown over him. Soldier, still rather drugged, slumbered on, strapped down to the table.

There was a gentle knocking at the door. Heavy peaked inside, motioning to Medic. "Doctor. Come here. We must talk." Sniper stood beside him, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.  
Medic stirred, and got up, following them into the hallway. “Vhat is it?” He grumbled, still tired.

"First, I must ask. How are things with Spy and Soldier?" Heavy pressed.  
“Zhe Soldier is still drugged, but zhe Spy…I zhink I haff some sort of diagnosis for ‘is problem.” He crossed his arms, flicking the sleep from the corner of his eye.   
"What is it?"

“Some sort of stress-related language disorder.” He explained. “Not unlike aphasia, but zhere seems to be no physical trauma to his brain. It is…difficult to deal vit. Zhere is no telling vhen ‘is symptoms vill go avay.”   
A sigh. "This, I was afraid of." A pause. "I was speaking with Sniper, and... We think there might not be reason to continue trying to save them."

Medic looked over at the sharpshooter, stymied, and back to Heavy. “Vhat, exactly, are you saying?”   
"That... we should... possibly... give up on them." Heavy didn't want to say it - not so blatantly.

Medic frowned. “You mean let zhem go vizhout treatment?”   
"... No. Not... what I was thinking of." Heavy looked up at Sniper, frowning.

Sniper sighed. “Heavy thinks we should kill ‘im, mate. Put ‘em out of their misery.”   
Medic merely stood there, shocked.

Heavy nodded. "I didn't want to. Still do not. But this cannot continue. They are no better than when we came here - WORSE! And we have already used so much medicine on them!" A sigh. "I wanted to believe they would get better, but there is no use in trying if they will only be burden to everyone."

Medic frowned, and shook his head. “I vill not let you kill zhem. I cannot, not vhen even vone of zhem is already showing signs of improvement.”   
"One of them?" Heavy blinked, surprised.   
“Yes. Zhe Spy.” He frowned, and opened the door. “Come vit me if you don’t believe it.”   
Heavy followed behind the man curiously.

Medic walked, quietly, past the snoozing Spy, and over to a notepad on the desk. “Here.” He whispered, handing it over to Heavy. “Vhen verbal communication proved fruitless, I had Spy try to write vhat he meant. Perfect English, all zhey way zhrough.”

"Well... is something, I guess..." Heavy muttered, looking it over, then handing it to Sniper. "If their bodies heal and their minds get better for three days, there will be no need for.... that. Yes?"   
“You expect zhem to be healed in zhree days?” Medic frowned, taking back the notepad after Sniper had looked it over. “Or just if ve see no improvement in zhree days?”   
"Improvement. Spy kept moving and getting hurt, and Soldier would do the same to help him. That is wasting. We might need healing, too, but would have used it all on them."

“And if you get hurt, are ve not supposed to help, because somevone might need zhose supplies later?” Medic scowled, ushering the two out of his office. “If you ah hungry, should ve save all zhe food for later, vhen ozhers are hungry?”   
"I would not eat, then vomit so I do not feel so sleepy." Heavy returned the scowl with one of his own. "I would not be healed, then get up and ruin all progress, and waste more supplies!"

A soft click, as the door behind them opened, and closed. Spy stood there, sleep still in the corner of his eyes, holding his little notepad and a pen. For the first time, Sniper saw the swastika scar on his face, and swore under his breath, at the sight of it.

Sheepishly, Spy stepped forward, wrote something on the pad, and then showed it to Heavy.   
It read: “I am sorry. I promise to be quiet, and not move, and not eat, and not use anymore supplies.   
I never meant to cause harm to anyone.”

"..." Heavy sighed, then rubbed his eyes. "You... You can eat, Spy. Just, please. Get rest. Try not to ruin your body after we try to heal you. Yes?" he pleaded, handing the notepad over.   
Spy scribbled, and then handed it back over. “I promise.”

"Good. Is all I can ask." He seemed relieved. "But... Spy. What if Soldier does not recover? What then?" He didn't want to kill Soldier. Never had. But if Spy had been too far gone in his mind, before, Soldier was out of the solar system.

Spy looked down at the floor. “Je ne sais pas.” He shook his head, and then wrote “I don’t know” on the paper. He took it back, and scribbled again. “But please do not kill him. I know he can get better. Give him this chance.”

Heavy frowned and looked up at Sniper with puppy dog eyes. God damn it, it was so HARD staying mad at people!

Sniper sighed, and then looked at Spy. “Three days. If there’s no change, or if he gets worse… It’s gotta be done, Spy.” He added, seeing the fallen expression on the Frenchman’s face. “ ‘m sorry.”   
Spy nodded, looking down at the floor again. “Oui, je sais. Mais encore je ne l’aime pas.”

"Maybe things will get better..." Heavy murmured regretfully. "Maybe...." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the brief pause in updates. TBH I'm starting to hate this thing, silly as it is to say. This is probably my least favorite section of the RP. The constant back and forths in the pharmacy with Soldier and Spy's drama hanging over everyone like a dead bird tied around their necks. 
> 
> Eventually things get moving again, and things start getting interesting. The drama with Soldier and Spy never really goes away, but there are more pressing concerns and they're not just stuck inside a reasonably safe stronghold with nothing to do or talk about other than these two's shenanigans. God, if this is our attempt at The Walking Dead, this would be the season where they're at that dude's farm and basically nothing ever happens. I hope you guys are enjoying it regardless, haha.


	23. Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heavy spends some quality time with Spy to try to get to the bottom of Soldier's mysterious breakdown. This leads to Spy questioning the purity of Soldier's intentions.

The four were silent for a while, all seeming to be in deep contemplation. The scritch-scratch of Spy’s pen broke the silence, and he handed the note to Heavy. “I haven’t eaten in days. Can we please fix this?”   
"Yes. We can. I will take you, yes?" Heavy reached out slowly to take the man in his arms.

“S’il te plait.” Spy nodded, reaching back to him, still rather weak from the lack of food, and blood, and all the stress he’d endured.   
Heavy lifted him easily and took him to the kitchen to get something to eat.

The ‘kitchen’, of course, was not a real kitchen. Merely an aisle in the appliances section with a microwave, a hotplate, and various cooking utensils. It suited them well enough. Spy had never seen it before, though. Merely been told about it. “Hou la.” He praised. “C’est… il n’est pas le pire cuisine que j’avais vu.” He chuckled, looking around at what they might have to eat.

"Da. Is very nice, I agree." Heavy began cooking some mac and cheese again, but couldn't find any hot dogs, so he left it out.

Spy smiled, from the floor, gnawing on a granola bar while he waited for it to cook. Suddenly, something occurred to him. Quickly, he wrote on the paper. “Did I speak in English a moment ago?”   
"Er... I do not think so..."   
“Alors, comment est-ce que tu m’as compris?” Spy asked. “Parles-tu francais?”

"I assumed what you say... I do not speak French, if you are asking now," Heavy replied, utterly unsure.   
Spy frowned, and crossed his arms, mindful of the wound still on his abdomen. “Tu dis la vérité?” Clearly, he didn’t believe it.   
Heavy blinked. "... What did you say?"

Spy frowned, but waved it off with a “Ne t'inquiète pas.” He turned his eyes back to the food. “C’est presque prêt?”   
Heavy blinked. "¿Qué?" Hey, he knows Spanish now! Not really. "What?"

Spy looked up, and wrote on the paper. “It is almost ready?”   
"Oh. Yes, almost. Hold on."   
Spy nodded, and sat quietly, arms folded in his lap, as he watched the food cook.

When it was done, Heavy handed Spy a few spoonfuls in a nifty, plastic bowl. He gave the man a spoon and smiled. "Eat well, my friend."   
“Merci beaucoup.” He smiled back, gratefully accepting it, and quickly downing the entire bowl.   
Heavy was gobbling down his own serving by this point. "More?" he asked with a smile.

Spy looked like he was about to say yes, but he looked in the pot, at what little was left, and shook his head, staring sadly at the floor. “Non, merci.” He’d already wasted enough supplies. He didn’t need to waste food, too. Besides, he’d gone hungry before. It wasn’t so bad when you got used to it.

Heavy smiled. "Here. Little more, then you may rest. I want you to have much energy for healing." He spooned the last little bit into Spy's bowl. "Eat what you can."   
Scritch, scratch went the pen again. “I don’t want to be a burden. I don’t want to waste food, like I’ve wasted medical supplies, and everyone’s time.” It read, when he handed it over to Heavy.

Heavy sighed when he read it. "Spy, I... I did not mean it like that when I said it. I... I thought..." A pause. "I thought you weren't TRYING to get better. It felt like we were the only ones. I do not mind using supplies on you. As long as there is no more wasting. Understand?"

He nodded, but still held the full bowl out for Heavy, along with another note. “I don’t deserve it.”   
Heavy glared at the man. "Eat it, Spy."

Spy shook his head. He wrote out another note. “I am the reason for Soldier’s illness. It is all my fault. I should be punished, not fed.”   
"Would be pointless to take care of you AND punish you. I want you to be better most of all. We will deal with what happened to Soldier later."

Spy sighed, and stared up at the ceiling. He looked back down to the macaroni, and, after much deliberation, began to eat it too.   
Heavy smiled, satisfied, and began cleaning up after himself as best as he could.

While he was cleaning, the Frenchman passed him another note. “How are we set for water? I could really use a shower if we have it to spare.”   
"We have water for cleaning, but..." Discomfort. "I am not sure if... we would like it if I had to help you with that."

Spy merely wrote a question mark on the paper, and looked at Heavy, confused.   
Heavy looked highly uncomfortable. "We would both have to get undressed, Spy. You cannot clean on your own yet."

He looked at the floor, sadly. He knew the burly Russian was right. Another scribble. “You can just put me in there and leave me. Even just some water running over me will help. I don’t need to scrub or anything.” He looked up at the Russian, pleading.

Heavy sighed, and nodded. "Yes, yes, okay. But if you need help, you tell me. Okay?"   
Spy nodded back, with a relieved smile, and held his arms out for the burly man to help him up.

Heavy did so, quite easily, and carried Spy to the "showers", where he helped him stripped down to his underwear, turned on the shower about a third of the full power, and left to respect the man's privacy. "Ten minutes," he murmured. "If you need more, yell and I will come."

“Merci.” He smiled at the man, gratefully, from the floor. Once Heavy left, he stripped his underwear off, and scooted back into the shower. Immediately, he shrieked from how cold it was, swearing loudly in French as he fought the shivers that wracked his thin frame.

"Everything is okay, Spy?" Heavy called from outside.

“O-o-oui!” He called out, teeth chattering already. He wrapped his arms around himself, still shivering, and tried to get used to the freezing water rushing over him, slowly washing away the grime that had built up on his skin.

Heavy muttered quietly to himself and went to fetch a towel-warmer he'd seen somewhere in the store. He knew Spy would need it.

With his uninjured hand, Spy began to scrub gently around his wounds. He didn’t want anything nasty getting in them, and making him sicker. For a moment, he froze, seeing the red running down the drain, but quickly realized it was just the dried blood caked on his stomach. When Medic had washed he and Soldier earlier, Spy wasn’t able to stand it for more than a minute, so most of him had gone uncleaned. Now, though he was sure he’d get pneumonia, and possibly have his genitalia shrink away entirely, it still felt good to get clean.

A few minutes passed. Heavy knocked on the door gingerly. "Spy? Do you need more time?" he asked.   
“N-n-non!” He called out, quickly slipping out of the shower, and slipping back into his underwear, for Heavy’s sake more than his own.   
"Good. I am coming in now."

The door cracked open, and Heavy stepped in, carrying a large towel. He wrapped it around Spy, and almost immediately the man felt soothed and comforted with blissful warmth.   
“M-merci.” He sighed, drying himself off as best he could, still shivering on the floor. “Est-ce que Soldier a revé déjà?” He asked, running the towel through his dripping hair.

"...... Uh... Soldier? Is he better? I do not know. He still sleeps, I think..."   
“D’accord.” He finished drying himself off, and scooted across the floor, to get his clothes, and begin re-dressing.

Heavy was silent a while. "I see now that you did not hurt Soldier on purpose. But still, what happened? I never would think that something could ever make Soldier so..."   
Spy went to explain it, but paused, and looked around. “Ou est mon bloc?” He asked, miming the action of writing.

"Oh. Yes. Hold on. I will take you out of cold place." Heavy picked the man up and carried him to the sleeping quarters.

Spy had a sad look on his face when he realized he wasn’t going back to the infirmary where Soldier was, but to the common sleeping area, where everyone else slept. Still, he didn’t protest -- not that anyone could understand him if he did.

"Okay." Heavy placed the spy gingerly on his own, push bed, and handed him the little notebook. "Tell me what you cam. I know that Soldier is... strange.

Spy nodded, and began to write on his pad of paper. Once finished, he handed it over.

“Yesterday, Soldier told me that he considers us like twins, or each other’s halves, or something. When I asked him about it, he said it’s because he thinks we are alike, in our stubbornness, and in how we care more for each other.   
When I told him that we didn’t have the last thing in common, he left, and he was different. I know I should not have said what I said, but it was the truth. I feel awful about it, and what happened because of it, but it was the truth.”

Heavy was surprised by this. "Soldier considered you two lovers?" he asked, incredulous. Still it made sense.   
Scribble scribble. “I really don’t know. It sounds that way, doesn’t it. I don’t know where it comes from, though. I never expressed any interest in him in that way. Not once!”

Heavy sighed and shook his head. "So it is true. He is crazy. Was crazy whole time. Just less crazy. You did right thing, Spy, telling truth to Soldier. Would not have been fair to you to withstand something like his attention."   
Spy sighed, and looked down at the floor. Suddenly realizing something, he drew his limbs in close to himself. Scribbling again. “I worry, now. All the times that he slept behind me…” The note trailed off, unsure of how to finish.

Heavy gasped. "You... Think he would... He would rape you, Spy?" Horror in the man's eyes.   
Spy’s hand came up to rub at his forehead, stealthily wiping away tears that threatened to form. He wrote again, “I don’t know. Do you think he would?”   
"You know him better than I. What do you think?"

Thoughts of Soldier's reaction to Spy's story of the abusive American Soldiers came trickling back. Spy merely blinked back the tears that encroached on his vision again, and underlined his earlier ‘I don’t know’. He was genuinely worried, and it showed on his face. Could Soldier really have…done that to him?   
Heavy didn't know what to say, so he just shuddered.

The Frenchman stared at the floor, then frowned, and stood up, leaning against the wall. Slowly, he began making his way back towards the infirmary.

Heavy was by his side quickly, to help support him.   
Spy didn’t acknowledge the help this time. He just hobbled along, too focused on his mission.

The two entered the infirmary. Medic turned, and asked what they needed, but Spy ignored him, and limped over to Soldier’s table.   
Soldier was awake again, but sobbing quietly, his arms and legs still strapped down to the table.

Spy stared down at him, close to sobbing, himself. “Est-ce que tu m’as violé?” He spat.   
Soldier feebly looked up at - no, through - the man before him. Fear and confusion. "I... I can't..."

Spy frowned, and scribbled on his pad, then held it out in front of Soldier’s face. “DID YOU RAPE ME”   
Soldier stared blankly at the paper, as if unsure what words were.

"Did you rape Spy?" Heavy asked softly.   
Spy let the pad drop, and just stood there, wet eyes staring down at Soldier.

Soldier looked as completely helpless as he felt in that moment. “Why... would I ever hurt someone... innocent... Someone who... relied on me… I wanted to... save him... and... have a purpose… Wait, no... not save…” A moment as he struggled to form his thoughts. "... Re...Repent..."

Spy wiped his eyes, and looked down at the other man, confused. “Repent for what?” he wrote. Heavy read it aloud for him.

"For... what they did. I was... an American once... I... I knew that if it... had happened once, it had... happened again. To many of people. People we were... we were supposed to... to save... I thought that... maybe if I... if I helped this one person who had been hurt by us... That... I wouldn't have to... hear them..."

“Hear who?” He wrote. Again, Heavy read it for him.

"Their... souls. I hear them. They hate me for what I did... who I was... America had let them down... And I was a part of her… They wanted me to die..." He mumbled some more illogical things under his breath, eyes seeming unfocused.

Shocked, Spy looked over at Medic, who looked equally as shocked. He walked over to the group, at the table, and put his hand on Soldier’s shoulder. “Soldier…haff you ever been treated for any sort of…mental problems?”   
More mumbling. Soldier’s eyes fluttered closed.

“SOLDIER!” Spy cried out, trying to wake him, still angry, and desperate for a real answer.   
Soldier's weary eyes opened once more.

Spy just looked down at him. There were a million things he wanted to say, and it frustrated him to no end that he couldn’t. Finally, he scribbled a note, and handed it off to Heavy. “Are you hungry?”   
"No... Just... tired. I don't have a reason to live anymore. It's better if... the spirits just... took me."

“Stop that.” He wrote again, letting Heavy peer over his shoulder, and read as he wrote. “You can’t leave us. We need you. You’re the man with the plan, after all. None of us have any idea what to do without you. Please, stay. Snap out of this.”   
There was an angry ringing in Soldier's ears. He winced, and shut his eyes again. "No, no, no..." he mumbled softly. "I can't...... I don't know how..."

“Si, tu sais!” Spy spat, desperate for the other man to come back into himself, no matter what he might have done to him. He just felt so guilty that he was the cause of all this. “Cesse de faire la tête!” He took him by the shoulders. “Nous t’avons besoin!” He shook him, lightly. “Je t’ai besoin!”

Soldier paused. His eyes cracked open. "Why are you so... upset that I'll be... leaving? You said it yourself... I... You don't care... about me... So... Why should I care... about me...?"

Spy scribbled down on his notepad again, and held it up for Soldier to read. “I’ve never cared about myself. Not really. It didn’t stop you from caring about me, did it?”

Soldier tried to make it out. "So, I... You..."   
Spy just sighed, and looked down at the floor. Again, he wrote. “I haven’t cared about anyone, or anything in a long time. The fact that I’m worried about you at all should mean something.”

Soldier's eyes teared up slightly. "That's... That's all I... really wanted... to hear..." A pause. "Can I... Somebody... Let me go now...?"

Medic warily undid the restraints, poised to snap and grab the sedative, should he need it.

"I'm tired... I still really want to sleep..." Soldier murmured quietly, curling up into a more comfortable sleeping position. "But I... have a reason to... wake up, now..." A weak smile.   
Spy smiled back, stumbling back into Heavy’s grasp. He was tired, too.

"Is it okay that Spy can be with Soldier again?" the man asked softly to Medic.   
Medic shook his head, and whispered, “Considering zhe allegations you two brought forzh, I vould not recommend it.”

Spy seemed to care less. He bent over the table, and laid his head down on Soldier’s chest, still half-standing.   
Heavy nodded, and gently tugged Spy away. "Come, now. We rest, Spy."

The Frenchman nodded, and hung limply in Heavy’s arms as he tried to walk. Soon, the burly Russian ended up carrying him entirely.

Soldier immediately fell into a deep, restless sleep.   
Medic stood by, watching, syringe at the ready.

Heavy laid Spy down, and the Frenchman seemed to be asleep almost instantly. A moment later, though, a yellow piece of paper, was handed over his shoulder, to Heavy.

“Can you hold me while I sleep?” it read. Spy wouldn’t look at him. His face was red with embarrassment.

"...... No," Heavy replied, as respectfully as he could manage. A man had his limits, after all.

Silence again, then another note. “I’m sorry.” Spy curled up, arms wrapped around himself, and tried to sleep.


	24. Red and Pink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scout tries to put an earlier theory to the test on a solo mission. Meanwhile, Medic extracts a useful confession from Soldier.

Scout had to fucking admit. This was a lot damn harder than he'd expected it to be. He scooted across the cement, elbows and knees getting scraped up to kingdom come, and his muscles aching in places he didn't even know existed. He'd quietly nudge aside any infected that stumbled to close, but had a pistol handy, just in case. He'd spray-painted it black so that the reflection wouldn't startle one of the infected and give him off.

He'd peeked into any car he'd come across, but most didn't have a key handy. Fuck. Looked like he wouldn't be coming back a hero, after all. He did, however, find a case of pop tarts and fruit roll-ups. That made it all worth it in the end, he supposed.

It was then that Scout heard a noise he hadn't come across before. It was a soft squealing, almost like a baby pig or something, but raspier and more wheezy. Then, there was a noise similar to someone hocking up a loogie, and suddenly, Scout was covered in an acid patch of terrible and pain.

The infected around him didn't seem to be concerned by it, but it was almost too much for the kid. Biting his tongue, he scrambled out of the mess on all fours before it could cause any serious damage, and made a beeline straight for the safehouse. Time was up - he was done for the night. His quick movements caught the attention of several zombies around him, and soon they began closing in to investigate.

Suddenly, there was a loud shot from the safehouse. Scout gasped, and ducked and surprise, for one second thinking it had been meant for him. Between the bars on the window of the saferoom door, he saw Medic waving frantically, trying to get his attention. “Come on, come on!” the man hissed to himself, hand ready to open the door as soon as Scout was close enough. Sniper was up on the second floor, frowning with worry with an eye glued to a scope.

Then, suddenly, along, slimy tongue wrapped around Scout's face, and he was yanked back. That was it. The kid panicked and turned around and began shooting wildly in all directions. This immediately caught the attention of the horde and soon Scout was surrounded. Panicked, he began swinging with his bat, even as the tongue continued dragging him back as if on a leash.

“SCOUT! _NO!_” Sniper screamed. Immediately he rushed downstairs to join Medic, who had already rushed out, shooting at the horde, trying to get to the young runner.

He couldn't breathe. Oh God, he couldn't breathe. He heard screams and hands were grabbing at him, and even as he swung his bat, he could feel so many more. Another strong pull from the tongue, and he fell back completely, struggling vainly as the infected fell upon him like one entity, punching and kicking at him.

Sniper burst from the safehouse, and immediately threw a pipe bomb in the air, sending it at least a hundred feet away from the horde. He hacked at the few who didn’t follow it with his kukri, and Medic continued to shoot, aiming for the Smoker that had Scout by the neck. Eventually, Sniper wrestled his way in, and sliced the thing’s tongue, quickly scooping Scout up into his arms, and carrying him back to the safehouse.

Scout was shaken up, but mostly unharmed thanks to Sniper's quick thinking. His teeth chattered with fear as he held onto the older man tightly. He could have died. For some reason, that was... surprising for him.

The marksman ran through the pharmacy, towards the bathroom, with Scout still in his arms. Medic secured the door behind them, and quickly followed. Together, they washed the traces of the unidentified creature’s acid off of the young boy, soothing and comforting him with every pass of their washcloths. Sniper wouldn’t let go of him the entire time. Medic couldn't believe this had been the second occurrence. Were those things just the norm nowadays...?

Eventually, Scout showed signs of coming back to himself. "J...Jeez... That was a close one, huh?" he asked, cracking a weak smile.

The two older men were silent. Medic frowned, worried, and kept scrubbing at the boy’s legs. Sniper just wrapped his shaking arms around Scout, tightly, as if he’d never let him go. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again, you little ankle biter, y’hear me?”

"Sorry... I... I was just getting tired of... of sitting here and waiting... for what happened before to... happen again..." Scout murmured quietly. "I just wanted to help us get out of here..."

“Und ve understand zhat, Scoutchen.” Medic took his hand, gently. “But you cannot go out zhere vizhout some sort of plan, and certainly not all by yourself.”

“If Medic hadn’t spotted you sneaking out there, where would you be now, huh?” Sniper’s voice broke, and he wouldn’t lift his head from behind the boy’s collarbone. “You’d be fuckin’ dead, and it’d be all my fault for not keeping an eye on your stupid lil’ arse, now wouldn’t it?!”

Scout looked down. "I felt bad because I hadn't even given Snipes' plan a chance before... I just wanted to surprise you guys, is all! Like, yanno, _'Hey, Scout saves the day again!'_ or whatever..." Embarrassment. "Okay, yeah, that was... That was stupid..."

Sniper merely held onto him, still shaking, still trying to hide how much he was crying. Damn. They’d almost lost the kid. And he’d blame himself forever if that happened.

“Yes, it vas, Scout.” Medic stroked his face with the washcloth. There was no more of that strange acid left, but it was a comforting gesture nonetheless. “Und you’re not going to do it again, right?” He looked at him, sternly, but clearly concerned.

Scout looked away with a sigh. "No, I won't, alright...? Jeez..." He wiped nervously at his eyes.

“Good. Now come. Let’s take you back to bed.” Medic stood, and held his hand out for the boy.

Sniper let go of him, though not without hesitation. “I’ll…I’ll be along in a minute.” He choked out, standing, and walking over to the sink. “Just gotta…wash m’hands.” He started up the stream of water, and stuck his hands underneath. The flowing water would cover up the sound of him crying.

Scout blinked, looking after Sniper. "Uh... H... Hold on a sec, alright, Doc?" he asked softly, nuzzling the man. A weak smile. "Gotta check up on Snipes...”

“Scout. I zhink he vould like some time alone.” Medic whispered, his hand on the boy’s shoulder. Sniper didn’t turn from his place at the sink. He just stood there, shoulders hunched, hands still and unmoving under the freezing water.

Scout watched a moment longer, then sighed and nodded, allowing himself to be led off by the doctor.  
As soon as they were out of earshot, he muttered, "I didn't mean to make him cry..."

“I know, Scout. I know.” Medic nodded, his arm wrapped around the boy’s shoulder, protectively. “Come. You should rest.”

He held the door open for the runner. Inside, Spy and Heavy were still tucked away in their corner.

Spy was sleeping fitfully, but Heavy was awake. "I heard noises. What happened? Are you okay, Scout?"  
“He vill be fine.” Medic replied, leading the boy over to his mattress. “He just needs to rest. How is Spy?”  
"Er... I am... not sure. Sleeping mostly." A helpless shrug.  
“Vell…good, I suppose. Ve all need some rest.” Medic nodded, standing up after tucking Scout in. “I am going to check on Soldier, and zhen patrol zhe perimeter for a bit. Sleep well, mein Kumpel.”

"Goodbye, Doktor. Much luck with Soldier."  
“Danke.” He nodded. “Hopefully I do not need it.” He closed the door behind him, and made his way into the infirmary, across the hall.

Soldier was awake when Medic entered. He looked up at the man cautiously, as if he expected the medic to attack him. His eyes were much more focused than before, though.

“Hello Soldier.” Medic greeted, softly. “How are you feeling?”  
"I'm... not sure... Where am I? Where is... he?"  
“He who, Soldier?” Medic asked, pulling up a chair.

"... Him." Soldier struggled to think, rubbing his temples. "S… Spy...?"  
“He is in zhe ozher room, sleeping.” Medic replied. “As you should be.”  
"I can't. I hear them again. They're angry and won't leave me alone." The man wrung his hands together. "I need him... They're not as loud when he's there... He needs me, too."

Medic pursed his lips. “Soldier, have you ever touched zhe Spy inappropriately?”  
"You mean his... Dick?" Soldier just seemed confused.  
Medic frowned. “Yes, or any ozher areas he did not give you permission to touch.”

"Well, no..." A pause. "Well... I touched under his mask once...I thought maybe if I did, it would heal up and he would be better."  
“You zhought touching him vould heal him, somehow?” Medic leaned forward, looking every inch a psychiatrist now. “Vhat made you zhink zhis?”

"I... felt I could... an energy... I really thought I could help him."  
Again, Medic pursed his lips, and tried to bring the line of questioning back where he could get proper answers. “Soldier, haff you ever become aroused by touching Spy?”

"Yeah. Once."  
“Vhat did you do about it?”  
"Ignored it. There was nowhere I could beat one off without everybody starin' at me, anyways. Where's all this coming from, doc?" A defensive, warning tone.

Medic paused. “Soldier…are you in love vizh Spy?”  
".... Love...?" Soldier blinked, the question obviously taking him by complete surprise.

“Yes. Love.” Medic confirmed. “Are you?”  
"I... I don't know... He's a man!" Soldier cried.

“Do you consider yourself a homosexual, Soldier?” Medic kept asking, as casual as ever.  
"No, I'm not!" Soldier cried, panicked. "I'm not! Quit asking me shit like this, ya damn fucking Sauerkraut!"

Medic remained cool as a cucumber. “Calm yourself, Soldier. You are in no danger, here. Zhere is no judgement being passed on you, I svear.” He shifted his chair a little closer. “If you are not a homosexual, zhen vhat vhas it about touching Spy zhat aroused you?”

"I... I don't know..." Soldier whimpered. "It was an accident. We kept sleeping together, and one time I popped a stiffy, and I took a piss and went back to bed and everything was fine. I'm NOT gay."

“Are you attracted to Spy?”  
"No! I mean..." He squirmed. "I... I guess... He's pretty small and... French, which makes him kind of like a woman, I guess, b-but he's still a man, and I would never... would never..."

Horror as he realized his body was betraying him - his arousal was showing through the sheets. He tried to cover it up.  
Medic saw it, but ignored it for the time being. He wasn’t surprised. “Have you ever had any homosexual experiences or fantasies, Soldier? Even in your youth?”

"No, no, no, no, no, fuck, no... Leave me alone." Soldier curled in on himself and covered his face with his pillow, trembling.

“Soldier.” Medic gently put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “I am only trying to help. If you are, in fact, a homosexual, and you repress zhis part of yourself, it can only lead to furzher mental anguish. You don’t vant zhat, do you?”

"No, no, no, no, no, no... If I am, he'll... He'll never want me around... I'll be like them. The guys who hurt him. How could he trust me...? I didn't want this. I just wanted to help..." Suddenly, he shoved Medic away in a spontaneous rage. "LEAVE ME ALONE -- THIS IS YOUR FUCKING FAULT! I told you I'm NOT, damn it! There's NOTHING wrong with me!"

Medic stumbled back, but caught himself on the chair. “Zhere is nozhing wrong vit being homosexual, Soldier. Many of zhe men in zhis safehouse are, in fact, zhat vay inclined.” He stood up, proudly. “Myself included.” He frowned. “Vhat do you zhink? Do you believe zhere is somezhing wrong vit me?”

Soldier looked up at him, horrified, not breathing, not moving. A tiny gasp for air. Then another. And another. Suddenly, he felt lightheaded. He fell on the bed, chest tight with anxiety, throat clenching, heart pounding, ears ringing, world stopping.

“Soldier!” He rushed over, checking the man’s pulse. “Soldier! Can you hear me? Breathe! BREATHE!”  
Everything echoed distantly. _No, no... Don't touch me... I can't be... not one of them... Please, I... stop... please..._ Soldier's heartbeat was wild and erratic, and his breathing short and fast. He flopped uselessly, eyes wide with panic.

Cursing in German, Medic dashed over to the drawer of sedatives he kept at the ready. He grabbed a milder one, and, quick as lightning, he plunged it into Soldier’s arm.  
Whimpering. Soldier’s heartbeat slowed, but his breathing was still a tad erratic. He tried to squirm away from Medic, terrified.

“Bitte…calm down, Soldier.” Medic tried to soothe him. “You are in no danger here. Please, try to relax. Take deep breaths.” He breathed deeply, hoping that Soldier would mimic him.  
Soldier did so, eyes filled with tears.

Medic wiped them away with a tissue. “That’s it. Very good. Deep breaths. Deep breaths, Soldier.” He continued to soothe, holding onto the other man’s shoulders to ground him.

Tiny sobbing. Soldier closed his eyes. He continued breathing, but he didn't want to. Not anymore.

“Alright. Alright, just rest, Soldier. Sleep.” Medic whispered, slowly coming down from his own mini panic attack. “Just sleep. Ve can deal vit zhis in zhe morning.”  
Soldier nodded, and closed his eyes, sleeping fitfully.

Medic slumped into the chair, and watched him sleep for a bit, before dozing off himself. Gott in himmel this was going to be rough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I guess it's worth mentioning that I actually intended for Soldier's affection for Spy to be purely platonic and nearly brotherly. But I gave up on that around this chapter because I was starting to no longer give a fuck, and romantic love is just easier to default to in story telling because it's what the media shoves down our throats all the time anyway. If I could go back, I probably would have stopped myself from just going with the easiest option because good lord are Soldier and Spy clearly no good for each other, but I was locked in, now. Regrets, I have a few. But I guess that's natural for an RP that's around 8 years old.


	25. Devotion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soldier tries to prove, in the most extreme way possible, that he means Spy no harm, despite his homosexuality.

A few hours later, Medic awoke to the sound of Soldier stirring around on his bed. The man was weakly trying to get up.

“Nein nein nein, Soldier.” He quickly strode forward and placed his hand on his arm. “Try not to move. You need your rest.”

It was then that he noticed Soldier's hand was slightly smeared in blood. Soldier quickly tried to hide it.

"I thought you were asleep," Soldier murmured softly.

“I am a light sleeper.” He frowned, taking the hand. “Vhat did you to yourself now?” He wiped it off, and began inspecting Soldier for any wounds.

It was quite obvious what it was in just a few seconds. Soldier had clawed at his own genitals, in an attempt to mutilate - maybe even remove them. Shame showed plainly on the man's face. "Please don't tie me down again..." he whispered. "I don't like it..."

“Und I don’t like you hurting yourself.” Medic sighed as he tied the man down anyway. “Vhen I feel that you are going to behave, and not do zhis sort of zhing, I vill release you.” He began bandaging and treating the wounds as best he could, shaking his head all the while.

Soldier let him, biting back tears. "I... I just wanted to prove to him that... That he doesn't have to be afraid of me... That I wouldn't ever do anything to hurt him, ever... I'd cut the damn thing off that was what it would take... I never wanted to be this way..."

Medic sighed, and finished his work, covering Soldier up with a blanket. He sat back in the chair, and just looked at Soldier for a while, thinking. “Ve really need to talk about zhis, Soldier.”   
"No..." came the tiny whimper. "No..." A pause. "N...Not without him... Go get him. Wherever he is. I won't say anything else unless he's here t... to help me."

Medic stood, and crossed him arms. “I vill go get him, but I varn you, Soldier. You can talk to him, but he cannot talk to you. Not in English, at least. Zhis upset you before. Is it going to again?”   
"Will you still be there to... to say everything for him?"   
“I vill.” Medic confirmed with a nod.   
"Then I'll be okay."   
“Alright...”

Medic turned on his heel, and headed for the sleeping area. Heavy was up again by now and was doing a crossword puzzle with the help of everyone.

"Seven lettered word for hen? Duh - chicken, dude," Scout called out, his head resting in Sniper’s lap.  
Heavy scratched his chin, counting the letters in his mind. "Oh, da. You are right..."   
Spy, of course, couldn’t shout out responses like the rest, but he held his pad up for Sniper to read, and the Aussie did it for him.

The four looked up at Medic as he entered.   
The German’s face was awfully grim. “Spy, I need you to come to zhe infirmary.”   
Worry flashed across the Frenchman’s face.

Heavy was cautious. "Is everything okay? ... Safe, I mean."   
“Yes.” Medic nodded and went to help Spy stand. The thinner man put most, if not all of his weight on him. “Soldier simply has some things to say to Spy, zhat’s all.”   
Heavy wasn't convinced, but let them go.

Sniper looked back down at the crossword. “Six letter word for knitting implement. ‘s gotta be a needle, mate. Right here.” He pointed to the spot.

Soldier felt like a trapped animal. He didn't like being strapped down to the table. He would rather be dead then like this.

The door opened, and in walked Medic, half-dragging Spy behind him. He plopped the Frenchman down in the chair, gently, and gave him back his pen and paper.

“Vell.” He turned to Soldier. “Anyzhing you vould like to say, to begin?”

"Th... That I'm sorry for... trying to take care of you when you d...didn't need my help. Or want it..." A sigh. “And... that I'm sorry, because I've been outed as a homosexual. But I promise I n...never did anything to you. I would never do that. I would rather cut my own dick off, or my hands, than hurt you with them."

Spy frowned, sadly, and wrote on the paper. Medic read it for him. “Please don’t hurt yourself again.”   
"I had to prove to you that I wasn't lying. But I won't... if you don't want me to."   
“I don’t.” Read another note. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself ever again. Okay?”   
A sigh. "Okay..."

He wanted to hide. Why had he brought Spy here, again? He didn't like the concern the other man was looking at him with...

“Sehr gut. Vell zhen, shall ve get started?” Medic smiled at the two, softly, as he pulled up another chair. “Soldier, did I hear you correctly? You identify yourself as a homosexual now?”   
"There's no other explanation for it now, is there...?" he asked softly, clearly wracked with guilt and shame.

“How do you feel about zhis discovery?” Medic asked, still very gentle.   
"Terrible."   
“Vhy?”

Soldier held back tears. "Because I let Spy down. I... I feel terrible, and dirty and..."   
“How did you let me down?” Spy wrote, and Medic read.

"I'm just as bad as the men you told me about. That's why you thought I hurt you, isn't it? Why I… raped you. Now you'll never be able to trust me like you did before all this damn homo shit..."

More scribbling:   
“1. You are nothing like the men who hurt me. Not even close.   
2\. I only worried that you might have done something to me, because you seemed to think we were a couple or something, and I never meant to give you that impression.   
I’m sorry if I led you on. I never meant to.”

Soldier furrowed his brow in confusion. "But… I never said we were a couple. Just that we were connected. What are the chances that we'd be in that same park at the same time, huh? If I'd gone through a day earlier, like I would have if there wasn't a pile-up blocking my way and I had to go around, we would have never met. Hell, if I was just a few HOURS early, or a few hours late... Well, we'd both be dead. Doesn’t that strike you as funny?"

Spy looked shocked, and looked down at the floor, ashamed. He scribbled, more messily this time. “I’m so sorry. I misinterpreted what you meant, and it just… This is all my fault. I am so, so, so sorry.” Spy hiccuped, on the verge of tears.

"Don't cry..." Soldier whispered, wanting nothing more than to hug his ‘other half’. He looked up pleadingly at Medic. "Please, let me go... I promise, I won't hurt myself anymore, and especially not with you two here..."

Medic sighed, and, against his better judgement, undid the restraints.   
Soldier murmured his thanks and reached out for a hug.

Spy was wary, but scooted the chair forward, and reached back. If felt right hugging the bigger man again, even though Soldier's muscle had atrophied even further, and he was a lot colder than he was when he'd held Spy during the nights in the cellar.

After a minute, the position became strained, and Spy had to move, to accommodate the pain in his back. His knees buckled, though, and he fell to the floor, still clinging to the other man.

Soldier cried out, trying to hold onto the man. "Medic! Maybe we can get a chair over here?" Soldier wanted Spy to be close, but not at his own expense.

Medic moved forward, and helped Spy back into the chair, separating him from Soldier. He checked him over, and once satisfied that he was alright, stepped back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost to the end of the Pharmacy arc, thank all the gods in heaven. We still have the chapter after this awkward break (it was too big for one chapter but this was the best I could do to split it), two meaningless pwps, a possible bonus chapter, assuming I don't attach it to the end of the next one, and then things finally get rolling again I can't wait! My personal favorite character (besides, perhaps, Scout) is right around the corner!


	26. Come Clean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medic prods Soldier into admitting his innermost feelings about Spy.

Silence enveloped the room for a moment.

Medic cleared his throat. “Soldier, I feel, perhaps, zhat you should tell Spy everyzhing. About touching him under his mask, and whatever else you vish to share.”  
"I touched you under the mask once," Soldier blurted awkwardly. "I thought that... Somehow, it would help heal you..."

Spy looked confused, but Medic stopped him before he could begin writing. “Und about zhe time you became aroused.”  
Spy’s face dropped, back to that terrified shock from before.

"I... I got an erection one night when we were sleeping together..." Soldier curled up, pulled the blankets around him. "But I didn't do anything. I promise."  
That terror didn’t disappear from Spy’s face, but he tried to hide it.

“Und how you feel Spy looks like a voman,” Medic prodded once more, adjusting his spectacles.  
“COMMENT?!” Spy’s jaw dropped, and he looked at Soldier, offended.

"HEY, NOW, I DIDN'T SAY THAT EXACTLY!!!" Soldier cried at the scientist. "Just... kind of... more like a woman than most men... You're French, Spy. I can't really defend ya on that one."  
Spy just stared at him, with the epitome of a ‘WHAT THE FUCK’ expression on his face. He scribbled, again.

“So because I am French, that makes me a woman? WHAT?! My country practically invented sexual intercourse for god’s sakes! We’re reputed to be the most masculine, charming men on the planet!” He threw the note at Soldier, still rather offended.

"Did I say you were a woman? No. I said you were less masculine than me. You wanna argue that, too, Frenchie?" Soldier sighed. "You're a lot... thinner and... you have kinda... kinda softish skin..." Flushing. "But I still like... that you're still pretty masculine, too. I mean... I really like your nose and the cut of your... uh... cheekbones."

Soldier felt really silly just saying this. "MEDIC, CAN YOU PLEASE STOP SAYING THINGS FROM BEFORE, PLEASE!"  
“I vill stop vhen you admit everyzhing to Spy freely, wizhout being prompted.” He replied, crossing his arms.  
Spy, embarrassed by Soldier’s statements, turned his red cheeks towards the floor.

"God damn it, I hardly remember half of the shit I say some of the time!" Soldier cried. "What do you want from me?! How about you ask me some REAL questions instead of saying, ‘Hey, you remember this one thing you said forever ago?’ How about that, huh?" A defensive snarl.

“Fine.” Medic pulled his chair up. “Tell Spy how you feel about him. Honestly.” Spy looked up, his face still red.

"I.... I think he's... He's goodness - innocence - in the flesh. And that I'm bound by destiny to protect him and succeed where my comrades failed. That's all I really wanted. I didn't want a relationship - hell, I didn't even know I was attracted to him! I... I just want to make sure he's safe. It's my destiny."

“Und vhy do you believe zhat?” Medic asked, pacing the room.  
"Because destiny brought us together at a time he needed me most."

“Haff you ever considered it might just be coincidence?”  
"Yeah. But it's not."  
“Vhy not?” Medic pressed insistantly.  
"Because I know!" Soldier cried, clearly frustrated.  
“Calm yourself, Soldier.” Medic sighed, patting his shoulder.

Over in his chair, Spy was scribbling away. He handed the pad over for Soldier to see.  
“Innocence in the flesh? Where on earth do you get that from? You are aware of what I’ve done to earn a living, and that I’ve essentially been doing that my whole life, yes?”

"Would you have done that if... it wasn't for us?" Soldier asked quietly. "You don't strike me as the type of guy who would get into this just for kicks."

More scribbling. “I started working on the streets before I’d even fully become a man. Things just progressed from there. Selling my information led to selling my body, and led back to selling my information, which led to selling my services in dispatching those who proved a threat to my clients.  
I am anything but innocent.”

"No... No, no, no, no, no, no...." Soldier clutched the blankets around his head, closing his eyes. He began shutting down. "You're a good person, Spy... A good person... I trust you..."

“Arrêtais cela!” Spy cried out, pulling the blankets back. “Tu est plus fort que ceci! Comment est-ce que tu t’attends que je survivrai quand tu est ravalé a ceci!” He spat, whacking Soldier on the chest with the back of his hands.

Soldier looked up at him in pure fear. "M...Medic...?" he called weakly, obviously straining to keep from freaking out.  
“Ja, Soldier. I am here.” Medic declared, not moving any closer. He hovered near the drawer with the sedatives, just in case. He didn’t like where this was going.  
"I... I'm getting there..." Wherever 'there' was, it didn't sound good.

He looked up at Spy with pleading blue eyes. "Please don't yell at me, Spy. Usually I could deal with it, but... I need to get grounded first..."  
Spy calmed, and sighed. “Je crie seulement parce que tu…” He trailed off. “Comment puis-je t’aider?” He held onto Soldier’s wrist.

Soldier looked at him, confusion clouding his eyes, but love also in his gaze. "What was that, Spy?"  
Spy looked down at him and grunted in frustration. Annoyed, he scribbled on the paper again. “How can I help you?”

"Oh..." Soldier thought. “I just.... I don't know what to think... I can't... handle a lot of new stuff at once... Especially now... I told you... I need you as much as... I thought you needed me.” He shook his head, frustrated at the thick veils of fog that consumed his thoughts. “I just... need something solid to hold onto... To believe in... You're that thing now…”

Another sigh, and Spy wrote down, “Then I will try to be there for you, like you were there for me.”  
"Thank you... I know you didn't ask for it... And I'm sorry. But thank you."  
“I’m sorry too.” Spy wrote, smiling sadly down at Soldier.

"... There's something wrong with me, isn't there...?" Soldier murmured quietly.  
Spy frowned. “Je ne sais pas.” He replied. “Mais si tu as quelque chose qui ne va pas, j’en ai aussi.” He pointed at himself.  
Soldier just blinked and nodded. It sounded encouraging, at least.

He turned to Medic. "... Hey, uh... I... I'm feeling really weak..."  
“As-tu faim?” Spy asked, gesturing to his stomach.  
A nod. "Yeah... Famished. Right."

“Medic?” Spy looked up, and the other man nodded and left to get some food.  
Feeling rather weak himself, Spy sat back in his chair.

"You don't want to... lay down...?" Soldier asked, blushing slightly.  
Spy looked up, and blushed, still nervous. “Non…je fais bien, merci.” He dismissed, looking back down at the floor.  
"Oh..." The man looked down. "Okay... Sorry."

Spy looked up again, and bit his lip. “…tu…t’en veut?” He asked, sheepishly pointing to Soldier.  
"I'd like it if you came with me.... only if it's okay with you." The man flushed deeply with a tiny smile. "I like... I like holding you."

Nervous, Spy nodded, and limped forward, around the table. Weakly, he pulled himself up on the table, and laid there, beside the other man, panting from the exertion. Soldier was still colder than usual, but it still felt right being wrapped up in his arms.

Medic came back with two bowls of soup on a tray, and shook his head when he saw the two. Spy was already passed out by the time he brought the soup over to Soldier. "You like chicken noodle?"

Soldier's eyes brightened. "Love it! Lay it on me, Doc."  
“You vill haff to sit up, und…dislodge yourself.” He gestured to the sleeping Spy.  
Soldier sighed and did so reluctantly. He took the bowl of soup, trembling slightly, and ate spoonful after spoonful.

Medic watched him eat, arms crossed, gaze occasionally flicking back to Spy. “It is good?” he asked.  
"Very. Very!" Soldier chuckled gratefully.

The doctor smiled, and circled around the table. Gently, he woke Spy, and brought his own bowl. He had to stand there, holding him up the whole time, but Spy was able to slowly eat it on his own.

Soldier was warm again and happy and warm.  
“Feel any better?” Medic asked him, with a smile, as he stood there, propping Spy up.

Soldier nodded. "Yeah... A lot better, in fact..." A sigh. "I... I'll tell you everything you want to know later... But for now, I... I just want to sleep..."  
Spy looked over, a noodle still half stuck out his mouth, and nodded.  
A smile, and Soldier laid down, arms outstretched in case Spy wanted to rest, too.

Once Spy had finished, Medic took the bowl, and looked at Soldier. “Can I trust you not to try und mutilate yourself zhis time?”  
"I don't want to, anymore." A tiny smile.

“Und you vill not hurt Spy, eizher?” Tentatively, he laid the Frenchman down on Soldier, his eyes already half-closed.  
"No!" A look of horror.

“You promise?” Medic looked at him, sternly, still holding onto Spy.  
Soldier’s brow furrowed. “Look, Doc. You don’t have to dance around the issue with me. I know I’m crazy. I know that. But I’m not a fucking psychopath. Spy means more to me than I mean to myself right now.”

He swallowed thickly past the lump in his throat. “I’d do anything for him. Even die if I had to. He's... No matter what he says, he's pure... Maybe he did bad things, but... I can see his spirit. And the dead... They'll leave me alone if I'm around him."

Medic didn’t like it, but he took the bowl, and set it on the counter, before returning to throw a blanket over the two. “I vill be back shortly.” He warned, taking the dishes to be washed.

Spy, meanwhile, had completely fallen asleep against Soldier, dozing peacefully.

Soldier nodded falling asleep almost instantly, as well.

The dead were quiet for the night.

* * *

_Later…_

Soldier was holding Spy tightly, now wide awake again. He felt better with his soul intact. Spy would keep him from breaking apart like last time. Hopefully the spirits would rest, as well.

Spy slept on for a while. He was pretty tired, still. His blood still hadn’t completely replenished itself, but he was getting there. After a bit, he started to stir, mumbling quietly in French while his eyelashes seemed to twitch.

"Hey. You finally starting to come around, Frenchie?"  
“Non…non…Lachez-elle….” He mumbled, still asleep. “…ne la blesserez pas…” His arms twitched, and curled up around his torso, in an attempt to protect himself from a long-gone enemy.

Soldier blinked, and hugged Spy close to his body. "Spy?"  
Spy jerked away, and opened his eyes with a gasp. He was silent for a moment, panting and staring back at the other man as he came around to his senses.

Soldier just stared back for a while. "You were... dreamin'?"  
“…hein?” He asked, confused. Spy didn’t even remember having the dream now. A night terror more than anything, really.

"Eh... nothin'..." An exhausted smile. Soldier got up and fetched Spy's writing pad and pen before snuggling back into the bed. "Need anything?"  
“Non. Je peut l’obtenir.” He shook his head, and slowly, painfully, scooted his way off the table, standing weakly on the floor.

"_NO!_" Soldier cried in fear. "Spy, don't! You'll hurt yourself again, and then I'll... _I'll..._"  
Spy froze, hand still on the table for support. “Mais…” he pointed to the door, terrified and unsure.

"Please don't..." Soldier whimpered. "Please...."  
“Mais…” Spy gestured to the marks on his stomach. “Ce me donne mal.”

Soldier blinked, then got up as well. "I'll... I'll help you," he offered, lending himself for support.  
“Mais ton épaule-“ He pointed at the Soldier’s injured shoulder. He didn’t want to hurt him more.  
"I don't care!" Soldier cried with desperation.

Spy sighed, and held his arm out over the other man’s shoulders, as carefully as he could.  
Soldier winced slightly, but didn't say anything. He helped guide Spy to wherever he needed to go.

Slowly, the two made their way out to the grocery section of the store. Spy opened the freezer with his free hand, and hauled out another bag of frozen vegetables. He hissed when the cold pressed against his stomach, but soon adjusted. “D’accord.” He nodded at Soldier. “Retournions-nous?” He jerked his head towards their sleeping area.

A nod. Soldier began leading them back. "You could've just asked for that, yanno..." he murmured. "But thanks for taking my help."  
Spy sleepily nodded. He looked really worn out- not just physically, but mentally. “Merci pour ton aide.” He smiled back.

Soldier kissed him gingerly on the cheek. "Yer welcome." A slight flush.

Spy halted immediately, and dropped the bag of frozen veggies in shock. He didn’t even look at Soldier. He just stared at the wall ahead of them, trying to process it all.

Soldier immediately lowered his gaze with shame. "... S... Sorry. That wasn't okay, was it?"  
Silence. Spy just stared forward. “Alors….c’etait vrai, ouais, que tu m’aimes?”

Soldier just blinked. "Huh?" He nudged the pen and paper forward again.  
Spy took it, and scribbled down. “Is it true that you like me?” He opted to go with the less-jarring translation of the word ‘aimer’.  
"Yeah!" An excited nod from the man. "I do."

The Frenchman was much less excited. But he feared that running away (as if he even could) would only make the Soldier worse. He didn’t want to hurt him again. So he said nothing. He just reached down, put the bag of frozen veggies against his side again, and kept walking back towards the infirmary.

"... You don't want me to like you, do you?" Soldier asked softly. "... It's because I'm too crazy, isn't it?" There were quivers of hurt in the man's voice.  
“Ce n’est pas ca.” Spy shook his head. “C’est seulement…un mal idée. Desolé…”  
Soldier took that as a yes.

Silence.

Spy was quiet, too. The only thing that came out of his mouth was the cliché, “C’est pas toi, c’est moi…”  
"Okay..." Soldier didn't quite understand what was being said, but he understood the tone.

_Rejection._

Spy saw the dejected look on the poor man’s face and shook his head. He pointed at Soldier. “Toi, tu n’es pas le problème.” He explained, then pointed to himself. “C’est moi qui est le problème.”  
"Why do you think that?" Curiosity.

“C’est toujours ma faute.” He explained, as Soldier held open the infirmary door for him. “Je suis toujours le problème.” He looked down at the ground, sadly.  
Soldier just blinked again, then led Spy to the bed.

Painfully, Spy climbed back onto it, and laid down with a sigh, still holding the frozen bag against his belly. “Merci.” He mumbled.  
A nod. "Go to bed, alright? I'm gonna find out where my clothes went."

Spy chuckled. “C’est une bonne idée.” He nodded, closing his eyes.  
"Night, Spy."  
“Bonne nuit.” He mumbled, sleepily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Technically the last part after the break happens later on, sandwiched between two smut chapters. I decided to just slap it on the back of the rest because I'm eager to put the Spy/Soldier drama on hold for a while. I knew we spent a while in the pharmacy, but I had no idea it was THIS long. Can't wait until the juicy stuff starts up again.


	27. Liebe (Semi-Explicit)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scout confesses to Sniper about the reason he took such a big risk earlier, then lets something slip around Medic. Leading to an embarrassing ensuing confession...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The talk Scout has with Sniper is SFW. Everything else is Filthy.

Scout sighed dramatically, leaning over Sniper’s shoulder.

“ ‘s wrong now?” The Aussie muttered, turning over some more cards in his little game of Solitaire.  
"... I'm sorry that I scared ya before."  
“ ‘s alright.” He whispered, with a gentle smile. “Just don’t do it again, yeah?”

"Yeah..." Scout nodded sadly. “I just wanted to try out your idea since it made you so upset that I sided with Doc that one time without even giving it a chance…” A sigh. “I’m always spending time with him and stuff now that we’re together, and I dunno… I didn’t want you thinking you didn’t mean as much to me anymore now that I had him. That’s been eating me up ever since, to be honest…”

“Issat really why you took such a stupid bloody risk?” Sniper sighed, pulling the boy close for a hug. “Listen, mate, that’s bloody water under the bridge, aye? You don’t have to prove anything to me for me to know that ya care. ‘Specially not do something wot you think might be dangerous -- and on your own, at that. Savin’ face don’t mean nothin’ to me compared to keeping you safe, Peter. You’re all I’ve got left.”

Scout nodded, returning the hug. “Yeah… But are you sure you’re okay with me spendin’ so much time with Medic? You sure you don’t need me around a bit more?”

Sniper sighed. “You’re a man fully grown, P. Have been since before we ever met. You can spend your time as y’like,” he reassured him with a light pat on the back. “That said… It’d be nice to hear from you more every now and again.”

“Deal,” Scout chuckled, hopping to his feet. “Look, uh… I’m gonna check on Medic real quick -- he’s been real stressed out since all this bullshit with Spy and Solly started, and I just wanna make sure he’s doing alright. After we’re done getting frisky if he needs a distraction, I’ll come find you, okay?”

A chuckle. “All right, mate. Happy trails,” Sniper chuckled, turning back to his game.  
Scout grinned and flounced off.

* * *

Medic could be found quite easily. Just follow the humming of classical music as he ran inventory of the store. He was currently checking on their stock of tampons. You never know when they might come in handy.

"Hey, Doc..." Scout chuckled, hugging him from behind and tickling the man's chin.   
“Vone moment, bitte.” He extracted himself from the young man, rudely, and resumed counting.

Scout blinked. "Uh... Alright. What's going on, huh? Something more important? Than ME?" A grin.   
Medic merely shushed him, and kept counting.

A shrug. "Alright, fine. I'll just go back to Snipes, I guess." He felt a little let down, but—

“Vait.” Medic held out his hand. Another few seconds of counting, and then he turned to the Scout with a smile. “Now, you vere saying?”

Nevermind.

Still smiling, Medic put the clipboard down on the shelf, and strode forward, wrapping an arm around Scout’s waist. “Vhat is zhis? Suddenly struck dumb, are ve?” He chuckled.   
"Yeah." A startled smile and a flush.

“Vell, zhen.” Medic leaned down, to bump his nose against the junior’s. “Perhaps zhe doctor should examine you, hm?”   
"Yeah, yeah!" An ecstatic grin from the boy.

Tenderly, Medic pressed his lips against Scout’s.   
Scout pulled him close, deepening the kiss as much as he could.

Medic gave him a little leeway, but soon pulled away, walking backwards to lead Scout up the stairs, where several abandoned offices lay.

"You wanna try fingerin' me tonight, Doc?" Scout asked raspily.   
“Are you asking for me to do it?” He grinned, opening the door to one of the offices, and closing it quickly behind them.   
"Yeah," Scout rasped, kissing him deeply again. "Ah, fuck, man... I fuckin' love you, Doc..."

Medic chuckled, kissing him back. He’d chalk that little slip up to the hormones. The older man reached into his pocket, and quickly hauled out the bottle of lube, the box of condoms, and a pair of fresh rubber gloves. He got into the habit of carrying them with him everywhere, just in case. Scout was pretty impulsive, after all. It'd paid off more than once.

Moving his kisses now to the boy’s hairline and cheeks, Medic began to slowly strip Scout of his clothes, running his hands over the heating flesh underneath.

There were still bruises of the infected that had swarmed him before and burn scars of that mysterious creature, but if Scout was bothered by it, he didn't show it. He arched eagerly into Medic's grasp, enjoying the feeling of being submissive for once. Didn't suit him all the time, but, eh, he was in the mood for it.

Removing the shirt, Medic laid Scout out on the desk, gently, kissing the bruised spots on his belly and chest and steering clear of the burned areas. His tongue flicked out, across the boy’s pink little nipples, already hardened from arousal.

Scout moaned richly, rolling his hips up to meet the sensation. His semi-hard cock brushed against Medic lightly.

Oh, but Medic would take his time. As always, he would go slow, and savor it, leaving the younger of the two to stew in his own arousal for a while. Soft lips wrapped around Scout’s left nipple, and sucked, while the thumb of his left hand flicked at the other.

Scout hummed in arousal and tried to see if he could get away with fondling himself just a little bit.   
Medic let it slide a bit, this time, as he moved up to suck on the boy’s neck instead, leaving both hands to fondle his chest.

Scout moaned gingerly, rubbing his cock slowly, brushing his bulging erection against Medic's midsection.

“Scouuutcheeen.” Medic cooed in a sing song voice, as he slapped at his hand. “Now vhat fun is it…” He trailed off, knowing the boy would knew what he meant. Chuckling darkly, he began rubbing at his hips through the cloth of his pants.

Scout closed his eyes and took deep breaths.   
Medic slipped his thumbs under the fabric, and began rubbing at the protruding bones underneath, humming a little tune once more. Tchaikovsky, this time.

Scout wrapped his long legs around Medic, and grinned. "You gonna make me beg, Doc?"   
The older man looked up, and grinned. “If you are villing to…I zhink I can certainly drive you to zhat point if you vish.” Slowly, teasingly, he began to slide Scout’s pants down his hips.

A purr. "You into spankin', too? Or am I just pushin' it now..."   
“Vhatever you want, Scoutchen.” A gentle kiss. “Vhatever you vant.”

The pants were pulled away entirely, and Medic began to assault the boy’s toned body with gentle caresses and kisses, in places he couldn’t even keep track of now.   
Scout chuckled, feeling very much in control, even though he was the submissive one. "Oh, fuck, Medic... Fuck... Yeah, yeah, there's nice..."

Without warning, Scout was suddenly flipped on his stomach, his legs and cock hanging off the end of the desk.

"Wha--?!" Surprise as the boy flopped uselessly.

A low chuckle vibrated against the nape of his neck as Medic began to slowly kiss, nip, lick, and suck his way down his spine.  
Another moan as the boy arched again, chuckling and trying to get a foothold on the floor.

Medic’s hands grasped the front of Scout’s thighs, and massaged them, at the same time, keeping his feet dangling in the air.   
Scout was okay with this. He let go and simply trusted Medic to do what he did best.

Slowly, sensually, Medic’s mouth made its way down to the crack of Scout’s firm little ass. He let go of his legs, to put his hands to better use, gently massaging the toned buttocks, and spreading them, giving his tongue room to slip past.

Well, that was new. But, oooh, did it feel good. Still. Weird. Scout stiffened and make a quiet noise that was a cross between a moan and an unsure whine.

With practiced ease, Medic’s tongue lapped around the tight entrance, circling it, nearly penetrating it, but holding off on that for now.   
A pained whimper, and Scout tried to press against Medic's tongue needily. This old fart was a lot kinkier than Scout had given him credit for!

A loud THWACK sounded through the room. Scout heard it before the stinging pain had registered on his behind.

A squeak of pain, and the boy clutched the desk. Then, a low moan of pleasure as the pain melted away and left nothing but a warming pleasure. "Oh, God yeah... Again. Again, Doc..." he rasped, grinding his eager cock against the cool, hard desk.

Again, the tongue flicked out and teased the tiny hole, and again, the doctor drew back, and slapped the firm little buttock, a smirk on his face the whole time.   
"Ohhh, fuck..." Scout gasped, clutching onto the little desk. He squirmed so that his legs were even further apart. "Fuck, yeah, give me more you son of a bitch..." he whispered.

Medic leaned down a little, and, after slapping Scout’s ass again, he began to lick at the underside of the boy’s ballsack.

Scout panted, his face red as he panted hard with pleasure and tried to control how his body reacted to it. His erection throbbed, but he didn't even want to touch it. He was Medic's now.

Lucky for him, Medic decided to give him a little relief. A practiced hand wrapped around the shaft, loosely, and began to stroke, as Medic’s other hand continued to slap, and his tongue continued to prod the quivering entrance.

"Medic... God damn, Medic..." the boy gasped, not even sure how to react to this, other than grunting every few seconds in pure bliss at the slaps and the prodding of the man's tongue. Scout's ass was now a beautiful red shade, and his cock was slick with precum. He was as ready as ever.

Medic grinned, and finally breached the tight ring of muscle with his tongue, squeezing the boy’s cock tightly.   
Scout gasped, tensing slightly. "M... Medic, a... are you sure you can...?" He was a little scared for his lover. He didn't know if this was a very safe practice.

The older man’s only response was another slap on the rear as his tongue circled around Scout’s entrance, moving in a wave pattern against the inner walls.   
"Ughhh... I.... Ohhh, don't think you c.... can... Oh, fuck..."

He gave up. Medic could do whatever he wanted with his mouth. As long as he didn't try to kiss Scout afterwards   
Another slap, and Medic began to pump Scout’s cock firmly as he continued to lavish attention on his ass. His tongue began to piston inside of the young man, effectively fucking him with the tiny organ.

"Hhhr...hhhnnng..." Scout kind of wanted more. There was suddenly a sense of excitement at what other new, kinky things Medic could show him. Scout was familiar with quick, rushed little fumbles under the sheets with older men who just wanted to experience something held long repressed in the back of their minds. But right now, he was with a master of this kind of play.

"F...Fuck, man, lick my balls again like you did before..." he moaned softly, clenching onto the desk tightly.   
Slowly, teasingly, Medic let his tongue slip out of the boy’s ass, flicking the entrance several times, before he moved down to lick and mouth at his swollen sack, moaning softly into the warm flesh.

"Oh, God... Oh god..." Scout finally had to grasp at his throbbing member, desperate to relieve the pressure. "Fuck, man, just fuck me, please, PLEASE..." the boy begged, desperate to feel warmth against his prostate. "You don't gotta wear a condom if ya don't want, I just do it for my own reasons." Not that he considered his own ass to be any cleaner than Medic's, but, hell, the guy had already fucking stuck his tongue in him.

Medic grinned, and kept mouthing at the sensitive sack as he lubed up one of his fingers. Teasingly, he traced the boy’s entrance with it, before slipping it, gently fucking him as he chuckled against his balls.   
"Oh... oh... oh, please..." Scout gasped, rubbing his thumb around the sensitive tip, spreading the lovely precum around. "God, I want you to fucking fuck me... Fucking make me your bitch... I want you so bad..." the boy pleaded, quivering with need.

The older man grinned, and pulled Scout’s hand away from his member, planting it firmly under his own on the desk. A second finger slipped inside the first, and fucked Scout a little more roughly than before, but not enough to really hurt, or cause any damage. Medic knew better.

"Aw, yeah... Yeah, that's what I'm talking about... Fuck me good..." He ground his hips against the desk, groaning even more.

Those fingers thrust in and out for a while, before curling upwards, pressing against a sweet little bundle of nerves that Medic was all too well acquainted with.

Scout squealed, embarrassed, and trembled around Medic's grasp. "Just fucking FUCK me, already!"   
“But Scoutchen,” he cooed, licking a long, sensual trail down the boy’s cock. “Zhat’s exactly vhat I am doing.”

Medic angled his mouth, and began to suck the tip of Scout’s cock, while he pistoned his fingers in and out of his tight hole, pressing against that sweet spot with every thrust in.   
Scout panted raspily, arching into Medic's mouth, silently begging for more, but the pleasure was so great, he couldn't even properly speak any longer. His eyes began to roll back into his head.

Just as the poor boy was reaching his peak, Medic pulled back off his cock, and stopped moving his fingers inside him. A loud SLAP rang through the air as he tanned one of Scout’s blushing asscheeks again.

A furious yowl. "AUGH, _FUCK_ YOU!!!"   
Another spank, and a throaty chuckle followed it this time.

Slowly, Medic began moving his fingers again, in an agonizing wave pattern this time, striking Scout's prostate, hard, with every move.   
"M...May I please come...?" Scout whimpered, digging in his nails.

“Vhat vhas zhat Scoutchen?” Medic whispered, grinning, as licked at the sensitive tip of his cock again. “Vhat do you vant?”   
"I want to come... Please, Doc, please, please, PLEASE..."

“So do it.” He chuckled, tonguing the slit. “I am not stopping you.” His fingers curled up again, lingering against that sensitive bundle of nerves.   
"H...Hnnnghhhh... _Guuuuh!_" Scout released eagerly, his seed splattering the desk slightly.

Medic licked at the underside of his cock, and milked him through the orgasm. “Feel good, Scoutchen?” He kissed the softening member, tenderly.   
Yeah..." the boy cooed gently, his member already getting soft in Medic's hand.

The older man chuckled, and gently extracted his fingers from Scout. He wiped off his hand with a Kleenex on the desk, and sat there, beside the boy, tenderly rubbing his ass where he’d spanked it, as if to soothe the earlier stinging pain.

"Can I... Can I sit on your lap, man?" Scout asked, flushing slightly.   
“But of course.” Medic smiled, stroking the boy’s reddened face.

Scout smiled slightly, and curled up in Medic's lap, stroking the man's chest. The warmth in his bum made him feel... loved. Safe. Happy. "I love you..." he repeated softly, drowsiness setting in.

Medic looked down at him for a moment, perplexed. The earlier time he’d chalked up to a mere slip, but now twice? Well…it was probably the afterglow. Speaking of, he’d like to slap some on himself, right now.

“Scoutchen, can you move your bum a little?” He was trying to reach between his own legs to undo his pants.   
"Oh, oh, sure..." Scout chuckled softly, moving so that his ass was positioned right over Medic's hips.   
“Danke.” He smiled, kissing the boy’s cheek as he brought his hardened member forth from its cloth confines, and began to stroke it.

"I want you to fuck me..." Scout growled sensually. "And none of that slow shit. I want you to fuck me like I'm a cheap whore, ya got that?" The boy seemed to live on the rush.   
Medic grinned. “If you’re sure zhat’s vhat you vant.” He reached for the lube, and again slicked up his fingers, and slipped them into Scout’s waiting hole. This time he moved differently- not solely to please, but to prepare.

Scout groaned softly, stroking his flaccid dick.

The older man moved slowly, despite the Scout’s requests. He was still a patient man, concerned for the well-being of his lovers, and he wouldn’t risk their safety like that. And so, here he sat, gently scissoring his fingers inside the young boy with already-very-flushed skin, with his hard cock bouncing off of the young man’s thighs. Couldn’t be better.

Scout was still flaccid, so it wasn't too bad for him, and the few sparks of pain were enough to set him off, anyways.

Soon, Medic was able to slip a third finger in among his first two. He wrapped his free hand around the boy’s waist, and started to gently rub his back. “Are you okay, Scout? Are you hurting at all?”   
"A... A little, but it's okay..." Scout wiggled his limp dick. "C'mon, c'mon..." he muttered to himself.

He chuckled, looking down at the unresponsive member. “Stop touching it. Give it time. Allow yourself to become aroused mentally, and you vill become aroused physically soon after.” Medic smiled, trailing his tongue and teeth up the sensitive skin under Scout’s jaw. “Take it from somevone who is pushing sixty.”

A tiny whimper. "I... I know, but... Damn... I just want it......"   
“Vant vhat?” Another nip, and the fingers in him again shifted, stretching him further.   
"I... Something."

“Mmhmm?” Medic murmured into the warm collarbone, planting kisses all over.   
"Nothin'... C'mon, Doc, do it... Do it, alright?"

“Alright, alright.” He chuckled, reaching across the desk for a condom, and quickly slipping it on, and lining himself up with Scout’s entrance. The lube drizzled down the sheath, and he pumped himself a few times to spread it around. “You are ready?”

"Yeah." A smile. Scout actually looked a little... sad.   
Medic noticed. He always did. “Vhat is wrong?”   
"I dunno... Nothin', man, nothin'..."

Medic just frowned sternly. “_Scout…_” He warned.   
"Just fuck me, alright?" the boy asked softly, tears dripping down his face. "Please... I need this... We can talk after, alright?"

Medic frowned, but kissed him gently on the lips, and nodded. “Alright.” He replied, tender as ever, and slowly, carefully, began feeding his cock into the young boy’s waiting entrance.   
A groan. The boy clung to the man's shoulders, grasping his semi-hard member. "Oh... Oh, fuck, oh, fuck..."

The older man held onto his young lover’s waist as he slowly slid his entire cock inside. Sweat was dripping from the two of them, and Medic just sat there for a while, letting the boy in his lap adjust to the size, while he adjusted to the searing pleasure coursing through his hard cock.

Scout moaned quietly, and slowly brought himself up and down on the man's hips, his tight body adjusting to the man's member. He angled himself so that the hot tip pressed against his prostate, and groaned softly.

Once the lithe body on top of his began to move on his own, Medic slowly started to move against it, pulling back when he rose, and coming up when he sank down, effectively creating a pleasurable, albeit slow, rhythm for their coupling.

Scout seemed less frantic now and more able to enjoy the feeling and the slower tempo, giving soft cries every time he came down. He clutched to Medic needily, kissing up and down the man's neck.

Medic angled his head to give the boy more skin to kiss, bringing one hand away from Scout’s hips to unbutton his shirt a little. That hand went to work gently caressing and teasing the boy’s hair, neck, and back, as he continued to ride Medic.

Soft moans were heard from both parties now, as Medic started to remember just how good it felt to be inside someone again. Some days he liked being the bottom, but then there were times like this, with this young, handsome, horny Scout -- so hot and tight around his cock… Everything was just perfect.

Scout sheathed the man fully inside him, and groaned, tightening his walls in little waves of pressure over and over again.   
Medic gasped, and instinctively wrapped his arms around the boy, uttering soft moans with every pleasurable squeeze. “Ohhh…” He groaned, breathing a little deeper now, and his skin a little pinker.

Scout began riding him again, whimpering softly. "C'mon... C'mon, yeah... Little more..."   
Coming back into himself again, Medic began to thrust once more. He moved a little faster this time- a little harder, as his cries of passion grew louder.

Scout held on tightly for the ride, grunting and moaning as well, joining Medic's cries.   
Medic tilted his head up, and captured the boy’s lips with his own, moaning into his mouth as he increased his tempo of thrusts even further.

Scout cursed against Medic's lips, gasping with pleasure at the sound of wet, slapping flesh. "Please, please, please, please..." he whispered quietly,

The older man lovingly nipped and sucked at Scout’s neck as he slowed his thrusts, making them harder than before, though. He was testing Scout, to see what he liked.   
A disappointed whine. "Cut it out, man." A pout.

Medic chuckled, and just kept up his slow, violent thrusts, moving the boy a good few inches further above the desk with every one. One of his hands moved down to gently stroke at Scout’s now-hard member, as if to give him some sort of compensation for the slowness.

Scout bit -- hard -- on the man's shoulder, growling softly as he let Medic take complete control.

“Ach…” Medic groaned, and said something that was probably an insult, in German. As if to punish the boy, he began to speed his thrusts, still pounding mercilessly hard into him. His own pleasured grunts and groans were even starting to out-volume the Scout’s.

Scout whimpered softly, grasping onto Medic's shoulders loosely. This was what he wanted. What he'd craved... "Medic..." he panted softly, wriggling in the man's lap.

Medic angled his head and pressed his lips against Scout’s, moaning, desperately into his mouth. He was close -- that much was clear, and he pumped at Scout’s cock while he fucked his tight little hole, trying to bring him off first.

Scout came weakly, his own orgasm being only a few exhausted spurts and gentle trickle of semen as he released into his older lover's hand. A tiny whine.

The older man wasn’t far behind him. A few more thrusts and he grunted as he released his own load, inside the condom inside of Scout. He held onto the boy tightly, and kissed the side of his face, exhausted, as he came down.

Scout held onto the man tightly, breath still harsh and uneven.

After a few minutes, Medic began to rub the boy’s seed into his belly, and carefully extracted himself. He slipped the condom off, and Medic held it up, quickly turning it inside out, and smearing the contents over Scout’s lower back.

A slight shudder. This was even worse than just being splooged on. He felt like he was being used for sloppy seconds.

As he massaged the semen into Scout’s skin, Medic kissed at the boy’s neck, tenderly -- lovingly.   
A small hum. Scout nuzzled his way into Medic's neck. He wished he could have lasted longer. He wished he could fuck until it was morning so that he wouldn't have to fucking TALK about... about...

_THAT._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to break my own rule about splitting up porn sections and whatnot because it would have been over 5K words, so The Talk Medic and Scout have with each other will be uploaded tomorrow.


	28. Old Flames (Semi-Explicit)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scout discusses his first boyfriend with Medic due to some prompting. Medic responds with a tale of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somewhat detailed recounting of sexual exploits, some of which were with a minor. Fair warning.

Medic chuckled, and held the boy tightly, rubbing small circles into his back. “Now, are you going to tell me vhat vas wrong earlier? Or do I haff to force it out of you, hm?”

Scout sighed. "Eh, it was a little thing... No biggy, alright, Doc?"  
“_Scout._” Medic merely looked at him, sternly. His eyes said that neither one would be leaving here until Scout spilled the beans.

Scout looked down, and sighed. "Look, man. I just don't wanna get into it, alright? It was a long time ago."  
Medic stroked a sticky finger down the boy’s face, and spoke to him tenderly. “Tell me, Scoutchen. Vhat is wrong?”

"It was just... My first boyfriend..." the kid muttered. "... Well... If you could call him that… He was my..." A mutter. "... _Teacher._ In high school. I was just starting to figure out I wasn't like other guys, and... Well, he was, too."

“Und vhy does zhis make you sad?” He kissed Scout’s forehead, and gently stroked his upper arm.  
"Well, it... It wasn't so simple..."

Scout sighed deeply. "We fooled around for a while -- maybe a few months -- and everything was fine and all. But he started... doing me favors, yanno? Helping me cheat on tests, giving me great reports to send home... Dude, I loved it for a while. His class was a bitch -- English and Grammar and shit -- but he'd start writing me these notes on my tests that... Well, he was just getting too SERIOUS."

"Later, I told 'im that I wanted to end things, and he got really mad, and suddenly, he made me start failing everything, and giving me detention and calling my ma and shit and making up stories about my _'behavior issues'_ or somethin'. She'd never believe me because I'd had 'em before, so I was in for it good."

"Then, one day at detention, he just suddenly started crying and saying he was sorry and shit and begging me to come back with him and that he'd show me a real good time, and would take back everything, and I just..."

Scout rubbed the back of his neck anxiously with a wince. "I said yeah. What was I gonna fuckin' do? He had me by the balls, and it was my own damn fault for leadin' him on like that..." A sniff, and the boy wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand.

Another gentle kiss, and a hug. “And zhen vhat happened?” Medic whispered.

"Well, he..." An embarrassed chuckle. "It was good... It was REAL good. But... I just... It never felt right, and I... I wanted him to stop, I kept asking him to, but he would send my life down the shitter if I did, and..."

“And?” Medic pressed again, still holding the boy tightly.

"And... Well... We got caught." Guilt as the boy looked down. “He liked sending me to detention a lot of the time so that we could have sex after school... It was a big turn-on for him. Me, too." A nervous laugh.

"Anyways, one of the other teachers came in and saw him boning me, and of course, she freaked. The cops came, my mom was called, he was arrested, and it was all over the news and shit. Ma wouldn't release my name, so my street cred was saved, but when they asked me about what happened, I... I said he forced me from the beginning, or else he'd fail me. Which wasn't entirely true. But they believed me. He went to jail after that."

"I... I still feel really guilty bout everything, though... I... I feel like..." Sniffles. "Like I... deserved some of what he got..."

Medic looked down at Scout, and kissed him, long, and tenderly. “Don’t believe zhat, Scout. You vere young, und impressionable, und horny, and it vas not right of him to take advantage of zhat. Don’t blame yourself for it. He should have known better.”

"Yeah..." A nod. "I... I guess…” A sigh. “I... I think I use sex to... help me forget about him. He was my first, after all..."

The older man didn’t know quite what to say. He just sat there, holding the boy in silence for a while. Then, getting an idea, he grinned. “Vould you like to know about my first?”  
"......" The boy perked up. "Yeah. It a good one?" He was always one for a dirty story.

“Vell, it is a good _story._” He laughed, laying back on the desk, taking the boy with him. “I vas eighteen -- not yet fully avare of my preference for men -- und my fazher decided to give me a birthday present. A prostitute.” He chuckled a little, already finding it funny.

A nod and a smile.

“Vell, of course, my fazher didn’t vant to pick vone of zhe young, inexperienced vones. So he picked… _Greta._” He said the name with an immense amount of amusement.  
"Oh, jeez..." A laugh. "Was she a hag?"

“Oh my yes.” He chuckled. “A good fifty years older zhan me, and probably a hundred pounds heavier. Red hair all tangled up, like she’d never seen a comb before, and her skin had zhat brown, leazhery texture older vomen get vhen zhey tanned too long in zheir youzh.” He smiled, fondly. “Still, she had a certain…eagerness zhat vas…” He burst out laughing, having to cut his sentence short.

Scout laughed as well, clutching onto the man for support.

“Vait, vait, it gets better.” He chuckled. “She…vell, I vhas so nervous zhat I could not even get aroused, so she decided to…use her mouzh on me first.” He laughed even harder. “….she had no teeth! I mean, she had zhem, but zhey vere fake! Dentures!” More laughs. “And she took zhem out and set zhem on zhe table so she could suck my cock!”

"DUDE! she was gummin' on you?!" Uproarious laughter. "Oh, fuck, dude! You deserve a trophy for that shit!"

Medic laughed harder, eventually petering down to mere chuckles. “Yes, it vas…interesting, certainly. Zhen she let me get on top and make love to her, but zhere vasn’t anyzhing special about it, really. Zhe blowjob vas zhe memorable part.”

"Did it... feel good to you?" A friendly smile. It was clear that there were no wrong answers.

“Oh at zhe time it vas good enough.” He nodded. “Of course, compared to my more recent exploits, it certainly pales in comparison.” He smiled back at Scout, and stroked his hair, affectionately. “I vish I could say zhat somezhing felt like it vas missing, like…her penis, or somezhing, but really, I didn’t know any better. It felt fine to me at zhe time. And it gives me a good story to tell, ja?”

"Yeah." A grin. "I had sex with a girl, too. But, hey, she was hot, and it was fun as shit. Not much to the story there." Scout paused. "I think I did it as some kinda way to ‘prove’ to myself I was okay after what happened with my ex. But of course, that didn’t last. I always liked fuckin' you fine, upstandin' gentlemen more than chicks..."

“I must say, I do much prefer zhe benefits zhat come vit being vit anozzher man.” He smiled. “Svitching, for example. Zhe ozher night, I vanted to be penetrated, and you did zhat. Tonight, you vanted it, and I could accommodate you.” Another grin. “It’s so convenient, both haffing a penis, isn’t it?”

"Yeah..." A kiss. "Plus, I just... I just like everything about guys. Not just cock n balls, but, like..." He felt over Medic's flat, slightly rippled stomach, and held onto the small love handles most men got later in their age. "... This, man. Yanno? I love it all..."

Medic slapped his hands away from the bits of fat, playfully, and chuckled. “I promise I used to haff a nice, toned figure like yours, vonce.” He stroked the boy’s lean pectorals. “I really did. But vhen you get old, zhings just change, I suppose.” A silly shrug.

"Naw, naw, I'm totally okay with it… I love every part of your body, I swear!" An uncomfortable chuckle. "Does... that make me weird or somethin'?"  
“I don’t zhink so.” Medic shook his head, smiling, and gave Scout another kiss. “It does seem a little veird to me, but zhat’s because I am just a little self-conscious, I suppose.” He laughed it off.

"Don't be." A kiss. "Yer fuckin' perfect to me, alright...?"  
A roll of the eyes, but Medic still replied, “Zhank you, Scoutchen. You’re very sveet.”

"What. You don’t believe me, chucklenuts?" A pout. Scout apparently took this very seriously.  
Another chuckle, and a peck on the lips. “Nein.” He grinned, sitting back up on the desk, and finally tucked himself back in his trousers.  
"Eh. Your loss then, buddy." A shrug and a grin.

Medic mussed the boy’s hair, affectionately, and pulled him off of his lap, sitting him on the desk as he stood up. “Vell, zhat vas fun, ja?” He went about, adjusting his clothing to its regular state.

"Yeah..." A weak smile. "I guess..."  
Medic paused in adjusting his tie. “Vhat’s wrong now?”  
"No, nothin'. Just a little tired after... rememberin' all that, yanno?"

The older man smiled, and held out his hand. “Come. I vill take you to bed. You should get some sleep.”  
A smile. "Thanks, man..." Scout pulled on his underwear, pants, and shirt, then followed Medic's lead out of the room. 


	29. PWP (Explicit)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exactly what it says on the tin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot comes back tomorrow, I PROMISE. Stuff I'm pretty excited about, too! See you then!

The days passed by in the large pharmacy like a blur, with everyone settling into familiar routines. But if there was one thing that was a reliable constant for the time they spent holed away, it was that Scout wasn't good at subtlety.

Medic was up during the late hours of the night, reading up on some possible ways to drain Soldier's infected wound, when Scout walked in, fully naked, and snuggled himself right into the man's lap like an overgrown kitten. He gave a smug grin.

Medic grinned back, amused. “Vell hello zhere.” He scratched the boy behind the ears, much like a cat. “To vhat do I owe zhe pleasure of zhis lack of clozhing?”   
"My dick." A snicker as the boy rolled back his foreskin and moaned quietly.

“Ah. I see.” The older man netted his fingers in Scout’s hair, and reached his own hand down to fondle the junior’s balls. “Didn’t feel like just masturbating, hm? Vanted more?”   
"Yeah..." A soft purr. "You really know how to get me goin'..."

“Vell it doesn’t take much, really.” He chuckled, letting his hand travel lower, to prod at the boy’s entrance. His left hand travelled lower, too, to scrape his nails gently over Scout’s neck. “Alvays so eager. So horny…”

"Yeah, well, someone's gotta be there to get yer blood flowin' again, ya old fart." Scout chuckled and sat up to give Medic a small, loving kiss on the lips. He pumped himself gingerly, enjoying the feeling of Medic's fingers pressing against his tight hole.

“Vone moment.” He retracted his hand, and reached into the pocket of his coat, which hung over the chair. The bottle of lube was opened, his fingers slicked up, and the bottle found its new home on the table beside them. “Zhere ve go.” He whispered huskily, as he danced his fingers around the crack of Scout’s ass, prodding his entrance -- not quite penetrating just yet.

"Aw, yeah, Doc... Now you’re speakin' my language…" Scout purred with delight, grinning as Medic pleasured him with his teasing finger. He noted the slight erection prodding his back, and chuckled.   
“You like zhat, hm?” He purred back as he slipped one slick digit inside the eager young man.   
"Oh yeah, doc... Oh, fuck yeah... Mmm..." A grin. "You always know how to make me scream..."

Medic chuckled. “Not too loud, zhough, ja? Don’t vant to vake zhe ozhers.” That finger began to slide in and out of the tight hole, fucking him gently.   
"Ohhh... Ohhh, god..." Another snicker." No promises, yeah?" He pumped himself a little more urgently, his head now a bright cherry red. Precum was already starting to bubble out, thinly coating his fingers.

“Vait…vait, just a moment.” Medic stopped his thrusting, in case it brought Scout over the edge before he could take his shirt off. He didn’t have many. He’d prefer to not have to walk around the rest of the apocalypse with a cum stain on it. Once it was removed -- one-handedly, no less -- he began to fuck the young runner again, this time slipping his second finger into the warm entrance.

"Aw, c'mon, Doc - stop teasin'..." The boy stuck out his tongue. "Show off all that heat you’re packin', huh?" he asked, reaching back and cupping Medic through the front of his pants.  
“I’m afraid my hand is razher…occupied at zhe moment, Scoutchen.” He grinned, and curled his fingers to caress the boy’s prostate.

"You have two, ya jackass."   
“Yes, but zhe ozher vone is doing zhis…” He smirked, kissing the boy’s face, and pressed against the sensitive pressure point underneath Scout’s balls, effectively pressing against his prostate from both sides.

The boy found it difficult to talk after that. He went stiff, babbling incoherently as his mind flooded with pleasure. Trembling.

Medic kissed him again, and then paused in his ministrations. “Too much?”   
"A... A little... Hnnnn..." He squirmed a bit. "Goddamn..."

Kiss after kiss were peppered along the boy’s hairline. “Sorry.” He whispered, slowly fucking the boy, apologetically. “A little less intense, ja?” His other hand went to the swollen member, and began stroking it lovingly.

"Yeah..." A quiet moan. "That's it..."  
“Better?” He grinned, full well knowing the answer. His hand began to stroke a little faster.   
"Aw, yeah... Fuck yeah..."

Medic chuckled, and went to work stroking his prostate again, hard, as he pumped the shaft slowly now.   
"Doc..." Scout hummed quietly. "Let me see ya, alright...? No holdin' back..." Again, he stroked the man's crotch sensually, licking his lips.   
“Alright, zhen.” Medic purred, his bulge growing further under the boy’s hand. “Vell, you AH zhe vone vit your hands free…Suppose you could…?” His eyebrows raised, and he nodded at his own crotch.

"Better idea..." Scout chuckled, pulling out Medic's large, throbbing cock. "How's about I frot ya like a real champ, huh?"   
“Mmm…” Medic moaned, relieved to be free from the constrictive fabric. “As you vish, mein liebling.” He chuckled, kissing Scout’s hairline again, affectionately.

After a few minutes of awkwardly trying to position them right ad failing, the two men finally settled on the table with Medic underneath Scout. Scout squirmed against the older man, pressing needy kisses against his lips, face, and neck as he moaned, thrusting against Medic's cock.

The older man moaned back, lavishing similar attention on Scout’s face, softly murmuring affectionate phrases in his native tongue. His cock was hard, and throbbing, and beginning to leak precum to lubricate their efforts, but he was nowhere near as far-gone as his younger lover. Age did have some advantages in the bedroom.

"Awww... Aww, yeah.... Aw, FUCK yeah... Get some, ya fuckin' German bastard. Fuck yeah, you love it..." Scout pumped both of their cocks, face contorted in pleasure. "You fucking love it, you bitch... Fuck yeah... I'm gonna give it to ya, too..."

“Are you close, Scoutchen?” Medic growled into his ear, nipping at the lobe. “Going to cum all over me?” The older man let out a shiver of delight at the mere thought.

"Yeah... Yeah... I'm close. You wanna feel my hot cum all over ya, you fucking bastard?" Scout lifted the man's shirt and clawed at Medic's nipples, groaning with delight. It left angry red marks, but not enough to spill blood.

Medic hissed, and clutched at the boy’s shoulder, warningly. “Gently, Scoutchen, gently…”   
"Sorry... Sorry, man..." He kissed Medic's neck apologetically, thrusting softer this time.

“Yes, zhat’s it…good…” Medic moaned, licking at Scout’s shoulder blade. His own hands came around, and began to scrape at the junior’s bare back, gently, but eventually gaining some harshness. He wasn’t a fan of pain during sex, but maybe Scout was?

"Ohhhh... Fuck..." Scout groaned, his back arching slightly in response to Medic's rough handling. He rewarded Medic with a forceful kiss on the lips, tongue and all.   
The older man’s appendage slid over his with ease and familiarity, kissing back with just as much force. He moaned into Scout’s mouth, and continued to scrape his nails along the young man’s spine.

"Oh.... Oh God..." Scout hips twitched uncontrollably. "Oh God, I... c...can't..." He began rapidly pumping his cock, gasping for release.   
“Yes, Scoutchen, yes…” Medic moaned, kissing his cheeks over and over, as his sharp nails dug into his lover’s skin. “Let it out, cum all over me…”

Scout came with a euphoric grunt, hot cum splashing all over Medic's pelvis and abdomen. He gasped, trying to catch himself as he came down from his forceful orgasm.

His older lover wouldn’t let him fall, though. He held onto him tightly as he worked himself down, milking himself of the cum that remained in his young, swollen balls. Medic grinned at the sticky mess on his stomach, and felt his erection grow all the harder for it.

Scout hummed quietly and slid Medic's pulsing head between the cheeks of his ass, sighing. "Holy fuck, dude... You deserve one hell of a reward after that..."

“Oh yes, I agree.” Medic chuckled, groaning softly at the tight, warm ass. Christ, he could just fuck the boy’s crack and get off. But it wasn’t quite what he was in the mood for that. “Scoutchen…may I ask you somezhing?”

"Yeah?" A lopsided smile of post-orgasmic bliss.   
“You…do you…” He paused. He didn’t want to take that smile off Scout’s face, but it had to be asked. “Do I…taste bad? My semen, I mean. Does it?”

"Uh..." Scout paused. "Honestly...? Yeah, a little. It's really bitter n'salty. But I don't mind it, really. I'm used to swallowin' cum, and it's good for ya." A grin.

Medic looked down. Damn. He could fix it if his thrusting technique was off, or if the boy wanted him to spank him or scrape his nails along his back during sex, but semen? Not much he could do to change the taste. Even if they had every food resource available to change his diet- which they didn’t- it was still hard, and most of the remedies were old-wives’ tales.

“I don’t vant you to haff to taste it if you don’t like it.” Medic shook his head.   
"Aw, crud, Doc, if I REALLY didn't like it, I wouldn't do it - you know me." Annoyance. "I was just bein' honest with ya, but really, I don't mind it."

“You don’t?” He asked, unsure. “You’re sure?”   
Scout just cocked an eyebrow. "When have I EVER been known to do somethin' I didn't want to, huh?"

Medic sighed, and stroked his hair, lovingly. “Vell…in zhat case…vould you be villing to…?” He ran his thumb over the boy’s lips, and stroked his cock, hinting.   
"Aw, fuck yeah." A grin as Scout scuttled down to get a mouthful of Medic's cock. Even if he didn't especially like the taste of Medic's cum, he ALWAYS loved giving blowjobs.

“MMMmmm…” Medic groaned, letting his head fall back as he gently stroked the nape of Scout’s neck. “Ja…just like zhat, Scoutchen…” He panted, and looked down at the supplicating figure. “You…you like being punished during sex, it seems.” He remarked.  
A chuckle. "A little... Let's just say I got daddy issues. I always wanted someone who could put me in my place, yanno?" He licked the tip playfully.

“Oh really?” Medic grinned, and pulled his hips back a bit, away from the boy’s mouth. The next instant, his cock gently slapped Scout’s cheek.   
A tiny moan as Scout closed his eyes half-way and stuck out his tongue, practically begging for more.   
“You like zhat?” The older man smirked, and did it again, dragging the tip across the boy’s lips, leaving a small streak of precum behind.

"Oh fuck, Doc..." Scout groaned, licking it up. "You're so fuckin' sexy..." His bright, mischievous eyes flickered back up at Medic. He seemed so submissive kneeling before Medic like that, begging for his cock, even though his eyes burned with an unholy delight.

Medic laughed out loud, and ruffled his hair. “Zhank you.” He slapped the boy’s lips again. “Now…” He grinned, stroking his swollen member. “Beg for it, Scoutchen.”   
"Oh, please, Doc..." the boy snickered, apparently a little more uncomfortable than he desired with being totally submissive. "Could I have ya cock?"

Another slap. “Now, Scoutchen, you can do better zhan zhat.” He grinned, still stroking the turgid flesh.   
"Please, Doc! I wanna suck ya real bad!" Scout blurted, face blushing a bright red.

Medic slid the tip in the boy’s mouth only for a moment, and then jerked it away, and slapped his cheek with it again, dampening it with the saliva that lingered on his cock. “Again.”   
"Let me have yer cock, damnit!" A laugh.

The hard member was quickly slid in -- further this time, and immediately pulled back out, to gently trace the boy’s lips this time, rather than slap them.   
A tiny moan as Scout’s tongue hung out slightly.

Slowly, Medic began a routine of roughly thrusting into Scout’s mouth, pulling back to just his lips, and repeating the motion.   
Scout just held his mouth open, and kept swirling his tongue, moaning quietly with delight.

“Tell me you vant it, Scoutchen.” Medic ordered, panting, his cock dripping more precum now, leaving strings of it across the young lips.   
"Give me your big, fuckin' German wiener schnitzel, you fuckin' sex pot..." Scout sighed, kissing the man's inner thigh.

Medic burst out laughing, and led his German Sausage to the boy’s hungry mouth again, this time letting him suck on it as he thrust forward, gently.   
Scout complied fully, suckling on it gently and rimming his tongue around his head -- pulling out all the stops to make sure Medic would never want to pull away again.

It was certainly working. Medic thoroughly enjoyed the boy’s attention -- so much so that he was swiftly approaching his climax. Face red, and lungs struggling to bring in enough air, Medic looked down at his lover, panting. “Sc-Scoutchen…” he moaned, “May I…cum on your face?”

"Sure, Doc," Scout breathed. "Eyes closed or open?"

“Close zhem.” He panted, stroking his cock fast and hard. “Don’t vant to blind you.” Medic tried to chuckle, but it came out as a moan as his balls tightened up. It was inevitable now, and it felt so good.   
Scout closed his eyes and stuck out his tongue just in case.

Medic exhaled, shuddering, as his seed shot forth, coating the boy’s cheeks, chin, lips, and yes, his tongue, in the creamy, bitter substance. He moaned, still pumping away, and another few weaker jets of it came out, dribbling down the underside of his cock, and onto his hand.

Scout swallowed what had landed on his tongue and hummed, waiting patiently for Medic to rub it into his skin.

It took a minute for the older man to come back into himself. He just sat there, staring down at Scout as he caught his breath, his jaw dropped, and his gaze expressionless.   
A few moments went by in silence. "... Doc...?" Scout called softly, as if afraid. Had he done something wrong…?

Medic quickly dispelled those fears by sliding down off the table to kneel beside Scout. Without waiting, he began to lovingly lick up the cum on the boy’s face.   
Scout groaned quietly with arousal and affection. He clung loosely to Medic's arms as the older man licked up his spilled cum.

Once it was gone, Medic held onto the young man, still panting, and kissed his hairline. “You’re right.” He rasped, exhausted, and chuckled. “It does taste bad.”


	30. On the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group intervenes to curb Soldier's frightening behavior and hopefully help ease Spy's. And then things quickly go wrong.

_A few days later..._

Soldier was curled up next to Spy as usual, eyes drifting shut. It wasn't very late, but he felt pretty tired now. He felt tired a lot, lately.

A note was handed to him from over Spy’s shoulder._ “Can you pass the water please?”_ It was on the stool they were using a makeshift bedside table. The Frenchman had been sleeping for most of the day, and so, for the moment, he was awake, but he was still pretty weak. He’d been up and around a few times, on Medic’s advice, but never more than a few minutes at a time.

Soldier nodded and fetched him a glass. He'd been attempting to exercise again, but would practice moderation when Medic or Spy asked. A faint knocking sounded at the door. When Soldier went to answer it, he was met with the sight of Heavy. The man cleared his throat.

"Hello, Soldier. Me and everyone else would like to talk with you."   
Soldier paused. He glanced back at Spy, as if unsure if he should leave the man.

Spy looked over at the pair by the door, and sat up, slowly. _“Qu’est-ce qui se passe?”_ He asked.   
“Nothing bad is going to happen,” Heavy assured. “We just want to talk.”

Soldier began looking defensive and fearful. "About what?"   
"About Spy."   
This seemed to take the man by surprise. There was a stunned pause, and he glanced back at Spy yet again.

Spy had good hearing. _“Quoi? Quoi moi, alors?”_   
"We want to talk to Soldier, Spy. Alone. Is this good?"

Reluctance. "Well... Alright..." Soldier huffed softly. "But make it quick, alright?"   
Spy looked worried, but didn’t make any move to follow the two. Not that he could even if he wanted to.

Scout was leaning against Sniper and flipping through a two-month old magazine he'd found, clearly bored. His feet were kicked up casually on Medic's lap. Medic and Sniper looked far less casual. Both were sitting up straight on the worn futon in the back room (well, straight for Sniper just meant anything less than his usual slouch), and seemed to be nervous. Medic kept drumming his fingers on Scout’s ankle.

When Heavy finally entered with Soldier, the kid glanced up and rolled his eyes. "Took ya long enough, man." He tended to get bored easily.   
“Gut. You are here.” Medic straightened even more, and gestured to the two wooden chairs across from them. “Please, haff a seat, Soldier. Zhere is much zhat ve must discuss.”

Soldier looked up at the man like a wary animal approached in the forest, and sat down as he was asked. "What's this about, huh?"   
"What, heavy didn't tell ya? It's about Spy, man."

"I know that," Soldier grumbled. "What about him?"   
"You are... ah... too... attached to him," Heavy responded, closing the door. "Is not healthy."

“For eizher of you.” Medic finished. “In times like zhese, vone cannot become so attached to ozhers. Making friends is fine, but…zhe two of you seem to fall apart wizhout vone anozher. It is a problem.”   
"I can't live without him," Soldier responded without missing a beat.

"But... Soldier, it is... It is dangerous times... You must think and use brain to see that... one day you might have to!" Heavy protested.  
Soldier winced and looked down. "I wouldn't let that happen..." he muttered softly.

“Might not have a choice, mate.” Sniper finally piped up. “Spy mightn’t neither. Both of you seem pretty clingy t’one another. Suppose something happens to you. What’s Spy do then, huh? Kill himself? Can’t live without each other after all, right?”   
Soldier began to shrink in upon himself. "I don't want to hear this..." he grumbled softly - almost with a hint of danger in his voice. They were close to losing him.

"Soldier! Soldier..." Heavy cut in, trying to calm the man. "We do not want to scare you only to... change way of thinking. You cannot live entire life based on one person."   
"Yeah - at least when you were all America this and America that, you could still fuckin' function widdout it being about America all the time, right?" Scout piped up. "I mean, you came all this way when the fuckin' country was in shambles! What happened, man?"

“Scout.” Sniper looked down at him, scolding. Medic had briefed them earlier on not being judgmental, or harsh with Soldier. Likely it wouldn’t get them anywhere.   
"Oh. Sorry."

"So what should I do, then?" Soldier muttered, looking down. "America's got nothin' for me anymore - you just said so. And I can't... fight for myself..."   
“Vhy not?” Medic suggested, crossing his hands on his lap.   
A mirthless chuckle. "Look at me. You see anything worth fightin' for? Didn't think so."

"You think it's worth your time fightin' for that scrawny dude in the infirmary, then?" Scout cackled. "I don't see anything worth fighting for there, either!"   
_“SCOUT!”_ Sniper scolded again.   
"Sorry."  
"I don't have time for this..." Soldier grumbled, standing to leave.

“Soldier, vait, please.” Medic held out his hand. “Zhis is not just about you. Ve are concerned about Spy more zhan anyzhing here. He is zhe vone ve are vorried about.” He wouldn’t mention that they all started sleeping with blunt weapons in case Soldier snapped in the middle of the night or something.

A pause. "Why are you worried about him?" Soldier asked softly.   
Medic sighed. “It is zhis…language zhing zhat vorries me. Zhere is no sign of improvement, and I vorry zhere may not be. Not if he keeps enduring all zhis…stress.”   
"You... You think I'm causing him to... be like this? I'm the problem?" Horror.

“Not you, Soldier, but your…your mental state.” Medic tried to be soothing, but it was hard. “Spy has told me zhat he feels stressed by it, zhat he feels pressured into staying wizh you so often for your sake, even vhen he vants to be alone. It’s causing him pain, and more stress, Soldier.” Another sigh. “I know you’re only trying to help, but…”

The man sat heavily. He ran his fingers shakily through his scruffy hair. "I... I don't want to be like this... I don't want to hurt him..."   
“Zhen you must find a vay to ground yourself, wizhout using him.” Medic replied, softly. “It isn’t fair to Spy, and it’s not healzhy for you, eizher.”   
"I don't know how... I don't know..."

Heavy cleared his throat. "Well... Maybe I have idea. Before Spy, you fight for America, Mostly. Not just country America, but Idea of America, yes? Is why you continue on journey when country was falling. You cannot live for yourself, so why not another idea?"

"Like what?" Soldier asked, almost desperate.   
Medic pursed his lips, and leaned forward, elbows on his knees, eager to hear Heavy’s idea.

"Florida Keys. Where we are going. Yes? This you can do. Is not just for you or for Spy. Is for future and all survivors to come to. This is good idea to live for."   
A pause. Soldier seemed to be thinking about this.

Sniper leaned forward like Medic. “Wot d’you think, mate? Continuity of the human race worth fightin’ for?”   
"... Yes." Soldier seemed to brighten up about this.   
"And, remember? You're the one who can lead us to it, man!" Scout chipped in, grinning. "It was your idea, right?"

"Yeah, it was!" Suddenly, Soldier began to see himself as a shepherd, guiding all of his newfound allies -- Spy included -- to their new safe haven, and keeping watch over all of the inhabitants. It was a thrilling idea. Their own little mini-America! Only done RIGHT.

“Gut.” Medic nodded, with a smile. “Zhen, I vant you to go into zhe infirmary, und tell Spy you are alright, and zhat he does not need to vorry about you. Zhat you vill be okay if he vants to be alone for a vhile. Because he needs some time to himself, Soldier. Ve all do. Alright?”

"Well..." Soldier paused. He still didn't like the thought of leaving Spy all alone, but he DID need his time, and maybe Soldier could patrol - make sure everything was safe, and...

He paused longer. "... I feel something."   
“Vhat is it?” Medic looked on, curious.   
"... Vibrations."

“No…” Sniper exhaled, and stood up. He paused for a moment, and then just shook his head in disbelief and terror. “No… no…” He felt them too.

Heavy blinked. "What is that? A train, maybe?"   
Scout jumped to his feet, eyes wide with panic. "GUYS, WE GOTTA GO. TURN OUT ALL THE LIGHTS -- DO IT FAST AND BE QUIET!" he hissed.

Medic went about turning off all the lights quickly, from the fuse box in the room they occupied. He’d address the generator later. Sniper stood rooted to the spot in terror.

When the lights went out, Spy knew something was wrong. He started to panic, but he wasn’t sure if he should leave, or stay. Soldier would come and get him if something was wrong…right?   
As fate would have it, it was Heavy who came to retrieve the man. "We're leaving," he murmured quietly. "There is something dangerous nearby. We cannot stay here."

“Is everyone okay?” Spy asked, trembling, not even realizing he’d spoken in English. The panic must have set something right in his brain, at least for now.   
"Yes, yes, everyone is..." A pause. "That was English..."

Spy looked up at him, shocked, and smiled a little. “It was, wasn’t it.” He looked truly happy for all of half a second, when loud noises started to come from outside. Spy flinched, and clung to the larger man.

Heavy held him close, then rushed off to get a few grenades and his shotgun. Soldier already had found his shovel and his own shotgun, and was flanking Heavy and Spy protectively before they'd even gotten to the door.

Medic had his own gun, and was trying to get Sniper to take one, but it kept falling from his shaking hands. Useless as he was, he still hovered around the Scout, not letting the boy out of his sight for a second.

Scout was skittish, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he shakily reloaded his pistol, then his shotgun. He took his Sandman tightly, took a deep breath, and nudged Medic with a nod. He was ready.

Medic wasn’t. He looked around, nervously. All this time taking inventory, and they’d never bothered to pack some of the supplies up in case they needed to leave. Oh well. A hastily-packed bag full of first aid kits would have to do. It was all he had now.

A bone-rattling roar tore through the city. A few of the infected on the street hissed quietly and scrambled off, not wanting to be caught in his path. The streets were empty within minutes.

Heavy looked around, terrified. "Wh...What was..."   
Scout nudged Heavy, panicked. "We gotta go NOW..." he hissed. "C'mon - I'll lead the way. If he sees you, just be quiet, keep your cool, and try to sneak off somewhere he'll lose ya, alright?"

The door to the safehouse tentatively swung open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kiss the Pharmacy goodbye, folks, because we're not coming back! These next few chapters will be slightly more "action" oriented with less standing around and talking, which I can only guess a lot of people will be happy about. I sure am!


	31. TANK!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group tries desperately to outrun the greatest threat to their survival thus far.

Spy clung tightly to Heavy, but leaned over to Soldier. “What is it? What is going on?” He whispered.   
"I think it's a Tank..." Soldier whispered back. "Don't worry - I'll protect ya, Frenchie."   
Spy nodded, and squeezed Soldier’s uninjured shoulder in silent thanks. Then he turned back to cling to Heavy, helping to free up the man’s arms as best he could.

The little group raced off, with Scout in the front and Medic bringing up the rear. The sun was setting over an angry red sky, and Heavy found himself wondering if it was an omen. Taking Soldier's direction, Scout began heading southeast.

Sniper still hovered around Scout, unarmed save for his kukri. He seemed very, very nervous, but said nothing. Every sound had him flinching, and grasping at the boy’s shoulder, protectively.

There was another roar - this time much closer, and the group immediately flattened themselves against a wall, looking about for any sign of the huge, terrifying Infected. There were a few rumbles of massive footsteps, but they eventually passed, complemented with the sounds of furious punching and the shrieks of metal as cars were smashed into buildings and each other.

Scout began to move again, eyes darting around in terror. Sniper held onto his shoulder, his hand shaking. He wouldn’t let go of the boy for a second.

Spy held tightly onto Heavy, as well, and looked over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the creature that threatened them. “What zhe ‘ell is zhat zhing?” he whispered, to the Soldier behind them.   
"Shhh," Heavy hissed.

There was a pileup of cars either empty or filled with rotting bodies. Apparently the wreckage lasted for blocks on end. There was nothing to do but go through them -- going around would take too long, and they still didn't know where the Tank was.

As they were picking their way through the hazardous maze, they heard a furious roar, and a hellish ripping noise. Mere seconds later, a huge block of concrete suddenly smashed right be behind the tiny group, sending chunks of gravel flying everywhere. 

Scout's heart jumped up into his throat. "HE SAW US! RUN!!!" he shrieked, leaping over the cars and dodging around them as best as he could.

Medic shrieked somewhere in the back of the group and bolted as well. Sniper ran as fast as his long legs could go, sticking as close to the Scout as he could. Spy just laid there, clinging to Heavy, his eyes shut tight in anticipation of the grisly demise they were sure to endure.

Heavy ran as fast as his legs could take him, with Soldier sticking right behind them and firing rounds at the charging monster. They seemed to bounce away harmlessly -- even the ones he'd aimed at the creature's head.

"Hurry, HURRY!" Scout screamed. "GET AWAY FROM DA CARS!"

As if to prove the boy's reasoning, the Tank punched one directly at the group. It skidded towards them then flipped away harmlessly, landing on top of a van that was already firmly lodged into a telephone pole. Ducking had been all that saved Heavy and Soldier's lives.

Spy’s heart was racing, and his desperate attempts at gasping for breath could be heard even over the sound of crunching metal.   
Now at the front of the group, Medic aimed backwards, towards the Heavy. His shots hit -- most of them -- but, like Soldier’s bullets, they had little effect.

Scout lopped a Molotov at the thing, then followed it up with a few clips of his pistol, as Soldier shakily reloaded, cursing and shaking. "Move, princess!" he hollered to Heavy, trying to shove him through the streets. The Tank was engulfed fully in flames now, and closing in on them at a breakneck speed.

"Ovah here!" Scout cried, motioning them over to a little side ally. The group quickly followed.

"Keep it down," he hissed, reloading as he lead them down the twists and turns of the shady alley. "Maybe he'll lose us in all a' this and burn ta death. Best way to win a fight with one of those things is to avoid fightin' an' wait it out. You go face to face with a tank, and, boom, two or three punches an' you're out."

Sniper grabbed onto the boy’s shoulder suddenly, and jerked him back, stopping him in his tracks. Scout was about to snap at the rough handling when Sniper pointed ahead of them. Nothing but a big brick wall.

_A dead end._

Heavy set Spy down carefully, and dragged a dumpster over to the brick wall, grunting. "Come on," he panted. "We go over it." The Tank sounded distant and confused, but it was still too dangerous to go backwards. The roof was their best hope for now. Soldier jumped into action, pushing the other end with his back against the dumpster to help speed the process along. Scout hung back close to Spy, bouncing on his heels and chewing on his lower lip with anxiety.

Trembling, Spy held onto him, eyes locked down the alleyway. Useless though he was, at least he could play lookout while the rest of their group broke their backs dragging a dumpster -- rather noisily, too, it must be said.

The roars of the monster grew louder, and the ground began shaking again. Heavy quickly took Spy in his arms and scrambled up on the dumpster, hunching over so that everyone could use him as a boost. Scout was the first one up and began offering hands to Sniper and then Medic. Soldier was on top of the dumpster now, too, and looking out for--

_SHIT._

The Tank rounded the corner, and immediately began to charge. Spy could have sworn he felt his heart stop.

Heavy handed up Spy first, where the man was pulled to safety. Then he roughly handed up Soldier, who was planted firmly in place and shooting at the creature. A little more difficult since the man was densely built, but they managed to heave him up, as well.

"HEAVY!" Scout shrieked. "Jump, man! JUMP!"

Sniper and Medic both extended their hands to help the man climb up. It’d probably take all four among the able-bodied ones to hoist him like the others. “C’mon! C’mon!” Sniper called out, reaching out as far as he could.

Heavy jumped as best as he could, and nearly yanked two of the men down with him. Scout pitched in as well, grabbing the man's shirt and trying to heave him up. The Tank had paused, and was ripping up a chunk of concrete from the ground.

"HURRY!!!" Scout cried.

The three gave a tremendous heave, and managed to hoist Heavy up to relative safety, just in time for him to miss being squashed by the piece of the sidewalk the monster had thrown. Sprays of dust and concrete showered over them like a choking cloud. If they had been just a few seconds slower, Heavy would have been nothing more than a gory paint job on the side of the building.

A furious roar, and the monster began charging again. Panting with exertion, Heavy began picking up Spy again as Scout stood, watching in horror. "I...It can't get us up here, right? It can't climb! ... Can it?"   
“Bloody hell, I hope not.” Sniper shook his head, panting, as he cracked his shoulder back into place. “Let’s not stick around to find out, yeah?”

"Where do we go?" Heavy asked, voice raw with strain.   
"Where we can," Soldier huffed, jogging over to where there were a few boards connecting one building to another. There were tons of makeshift walkways like this connecting the city.

“Is it safe?” Medic looked down between the buildings, wary of the splintering bridge between them.

The building began to shake as the Tank began to scale up the wall with a terrifying deliberation.

"SAFE ENOUGH!" Scout screeched, leaping across nimbly.

With wide eyes, Medic quickly followed, and Sniper was right behind them, swearing as he went.   
Heavy let Spy go across with Soldier in case their combined weight would be too much, then followed, himself.   
Soldier was sweating and wheezing by then, seeming flushed in some places and pale elsewhere. He would have to rest soon, and the struggle had just begun.

“Are you okay?” Spy whispered into his ear, still holding onto him tightly.   
"Not sure if I will be for long..." he murmured quietly, gulping. "This sunnuva bitch needs to give up already..."

“Give me your gun. I’ll shoot while you carry, sound good?” Spy offered, holding out his hand. “Maybe I can take him down. I’m a good shot, after all.”   
"Yeah." An exhausted smile.

Spy took the shotgun, and readied it for when the beast got in sight -- which, judging by the massive arms clinging to the rooftop they’d come up, wouldn’t be much longer. True to the man's belief, the creature saw them within seconds, and charged blindly as Soldier dragged the man to an open window of the next building over.

Spy fired over and over again. Every bullet hit, dead on -- most of them in the head, but nothing happened. “What’s going on?! Why isn’t ‘e dying?!”   
"CAN it die?!" Soldier cried.

Scout looked back at the raging inferno of a monster, tears welling into his eyes. "I don't know..." he choked out.   
Sniper wrapped his arms around Scout, and held him tightly. “Just don’t look at it, P.” he murmured softly, tears streaming down his cheeks. They were goners for sure.

Medic joined Spy in firing at the beast, but was less accurate -- hitting him in the chest, the arms, and his lower torso too. Spy still kept firing his accurate shots to seemingly no avail. Then there was a click. “I’m empty!” he held his hand out for more bullets. 

Soldier handed some over, with a shaking hand, spilling most of the shells. He collapsed, entirely spent, taking Spy down with him, both landing with a thud on the weathered shingles. Another roar as the Tank charged towards them once more, gaze locked on Spy and Soldier's collapsed forms. Soldier just closed his eyes, hoping his death would be quick and relatively painless.

As the Tank raced across the plank that connected the two buildings, the thing snapped like a withered twig. There was one last roar as the monster collapsed between the buildings, then a solid thump... Then nothing.

Scout blinked, peeking from between Sniper's arms.

Spy sat there, in mid-reload, staring at the spot where the Tank used to be. A few moments of silence followed, finally broken by the sound of Spy’s relieved laughter. The gun fell from his hands, as he wrapped his arms around himself. Tears streamed from his face as he half-laughed, half-cried, curling up further into himself.

Heavy gingerly gathered Spy up, murmuring consolation in his native language.

Spy just laid there in Heavy’s arms, giggling and hyperventilating, almost psychotically, but quieter now. He was shaking like a leaf, and his gaze up at the sky, seemed unfocused, like he was somewhere else, in his mind.

Soldier began trying to drag himself up. Heavy nodded towards Medic. "Help him walk, maybe?"

“In a moment.” Medic held his hand up. He walked casually towards the edge of the roof, and looked down. A few seconds later, the ground below was covered in his bile. Medic wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and then walked back to Soldier, wrapping his clean arm under the man’s shoulders, hoisting him up.

"Thanks..." Soldier muttered quietly. Embarrassed, he tried to hide the small damp spot forming on the front of his pants.

Scout gulped shakily. "C...C'mon... I see a ladder here. We can get back to the ground and keep going like we've been, yeah?" The city was stirring slightly. Already they saw a common infected shuffling around in one of the buildings, apparently relieved that the threat was over.   
Sniper wasn’t sure. “What if that Tank’s not dead, though? Just…stunned. We've seen 'em burst through walls like they were tissue paper. I think it’s safer if we stick up top.” His hand seem pretty much attached to Scout now, barely letting go of him at all during this episode.

"Still, we'll be a buildin' away," Scout pointed out with a gulp. "I don't wanna go in those houses, man - I don't know what's in there..." Open air was a Scout's best friend. In closed spaces, he was hardly any use at all.   
“Let’s have a vote, then, yeah?”

Sniper turned to his group. “Okay, excluding giggly McGee over there, what’s your thoughts, mates? Ground or through the buildin’s?”   
Heavy thought. "Closed spaces offer much safety from Hunters and Smokers. I think buildings would be best."

"If we're out in the open, though, we know what's comin' for us..." Soldier rasped. "And we can get out of the way. Not to mention we can get where we're going a lot damn faster. Open spaces for me."   
“I vote for zhe inside route.” Medic replied. “At least for a vhile. Maybe ve can find somevhere vit food, und vater, und a place to rest for zhe night. Ve could all use it.”

“Three to two, lads. Looks like we’re ‘eading inside.” Sniper nodded, leading the way.   
Scout seemed upset and nervous about this, but said nothing.

Medic followed closely behind the two, still supporting Soldier. Heavy brought up the rear with Spy, who seemed to go quiet once they were in the dark, enclosed space.   
“Don’t reckon anyone remembered t’pack a flashlight, eh?” Sniper whispered in the darkness.   
"Just one," Heavy murmured, handing it over. "Can act as a weapon if need it."

“Thanks mate.” Sniper nodded, and turned the light on, shining it around the hallways. No sounds were heard but their own footsteps down the hallway of the apparently-abandoned apartment building. One of the doors on the right was open. Sniper readied his kukri, and used it to slowly open the door.

A piercing howl, and suddenly, Sniper was on the ground with a Hunter readying its claws to dig into him.

Scout screamed and shot it in the face with his scattergun before it could do any real damage. The thing fell away, dead. It seemed almost too easy when compared with the Tank. 

Sniper laid there, still half-covered by Hunter corpse, and panted. “Right then.” He rasped. “Who wants t’go in first?” 


	32. A Breather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group find a little apartment to hole up in for the night. It won't keep them safe for long, but it's good enough for a short rest as they try to come to grips with their feelings.

Soldier poked into the cramped apartment, and was pleased to find a bedroom suite with a closet, bathroom, two beds and a couch there. The toilet didn't work, and neither did the sink. Beggars couldn’t be choosers.

“Gut.” Medic nodded, after ensuring the area was safe and secure, at least for the time being. He was also pleased to find that whoever had been here before had left behind some food and bottled water in the fridge. “I vote zhat ve stay here for zhe night, and continue on in zhe morning. Are ve all agreed?”

Soldier nodded weakly, sitting on the bed. He felt lightheaded.

Heavy placed Spy beside him -- more out of habit than anything else, and went to work, shoving the shelf against the door to block it and stuffing rags under the crack of the door just in case infected could 'smell' when a survivor was near.

Spy seemed asleep already, but at Medic’s gentle touch, he stirred. Just resting his eyes. Medic smiled down at him, before kneeling in front of Soldier. “Soldier? Are you alright?”

A nod, and a tired smile. "I... I did good, didn't I? I mean... for a minute there, I... I gave up, I really did. I didn't think I could do it. But everything was a blessing at the end and that fucking dirty tank died. Fell like a sack of potatoes. But I did good for myself, I think. I really do." His words were as tired and jumbled and disorganized as his brain, but were filled with a sense of relief and self-assuredness.

Medic just nodded, his lips pursed. “Rest, Soldier.” He helped the man to lie down, near the half-asleep Spy. “Get some rest. You vill need it to lead us to zhe Florida keys, ja?”   
"Yes. Yes, I will. I won't let you guys down."

Soldier wormed his way under the blankets, and sighed, turning to the side and going to sleep. It was the first time they'd seen him sleep without cuddling up to Spy, and, admittedly, it was a little jarring. Not just to them, but to Spy, as well. Feeling lonely and dejected and fearing he’d done something wrong, the skinny Frenchman merely curled up on his own side, facing away from the Soldier, and tried to sleep.

Sniper meanwhile, had laid claim to the couch, and was rubbing at his eyes, trying to stay awake. He called out to Scout, who was over at the refrigerator, “What’ve we got t’eat?”   
"Uh... Looks like a lot of it's gone bad, man..." A frown as Scout held up a bag of liquefied salad.

“Ugh.” Sniper grimaced. “Anythin’ in the cupboards?”   
"Uh..." Scout poked around."Well... We got some dry cereal, and some peanut butter again...Moldy bread... Granola bars! Jackpot!" A tired smile. He passed them out.

Heavy gave his to Spy, rubbing the man's back.   
“Merci.” Spy muttered, opening it with his teeth, and biting into it, that sad little look still on his face.

Medic ate his quickly, stopping every so often to pick the kernels out of his teeth. Sniper practically downed the whole thing in one bite.   
Scout just nibbled on it idly, still eaten up with terror from their past close call.

Sniper wrapped his arm around him, and patted his shoulder. “Y’alroight, mate?”   
A weak smile. "Nah. Can't say I am. I was just... He... looked a lot like ours, huh?" he finally choked out.   
The older man sighed, and just held Scout tighter. “They all look alike once they turn,” he replied somberly.

Sobbing. "B...But he was bald, too, and he... And his pants and everything..." He crumpled in on himself, forced for the first time to have to face the reality of losing a friend to a horrible illness that made him unrecognizable anymore. The fear was paralyzing.

“Shh…Peter, shh…’s alroight.” Sniper soothed, holding the boy protectively in his arms. “I know…I know, just…let it out, alroight?” He rubbed his back, lost as to what else he could do. “Just cry, lad. Let it out. That’s it. Just let it out.”   
"I don't want nothin' to happen to you guys..." he sobbed. "To anyone. Why'd this have to happen, huh?"

“It just…things happen, mate.” He shifted, and let Scout lay down on top of him, crying into his shirt. “Nothin’ we can do about it. And nothin’s gonna happen to us, y’hear? We’re all gonna be…fine. We’re gonna be fine.” The lack of faith in what he said was evident in his voice, but he hoped Scout didn’t hear it.

"I wish I could just wake up and everything be okay again..." Scout sniffled.   
“Me too, mate.” Sniper nodded, with a sigh. “Me too.”

Scout clung to Sniper, sniffling and whimpering until he fell into a restless sleep. Sniper held him through the night, eventually falling asleep himself.

Medic came out of the bathroom, after flossing his teeth, and washing the vomit from his mouth, and walked over to the only still-conscious person in the room. “Ve vill haff to sleep in shifts, ja, Heavy? To keep vatch?” The poor doctor looked practically dead on his feet, but he’d be willing to stay up for a bit, so Heavy could rest. He’d been the one hauling Spy around, after all.

"Go to sleep and I will wake you when I cannot sit up any longer." Heavy was still rubbing Spy's back with a tired smile.

Medic smiled back. “Zhank you. Is…he alright?” He pointed to Spy.   
"I think he misses old Soldier... Just a little. Seemed a little sad when there were no hugs tonight."

“Ja, I fear perhaps zhis may be doing more harm zhan good.” Medic sat on the other bed, opposite Heavy. “It is good zhat Soldier does not completely base his existence on Spy, now, but…Spy does still need him. He vill still miss him, I…” He sighed. “I need to sleep.” He shook his head. “I vill deal vit zhis all later. Vake me vhen you’re tired.” Medic laid down, and put his glasses on the nearby end table.

Heavy nodded and continued looking over Spy. With eyes still closed, Spy reached one hand back, and grasped at the hand rubbing him. Heavy smiled softly.

Soldier rolled over in his sleep and instinctively curled up to Spy, though his grasp wasn't needy or possessive. Still appearing to be asleep, Spy let go of Heavy’s hand, and snuggled up into the other man behind him. Then he smiled a sleepy little content smile, and half-sighed, half-yawned, before he really fell asleep.

Scout was plagued with nightmares the entire night. He woke up in a cold sweat, clinging desperately to Sniper. A whimper and quiet sobs as he realized the situation they were all still in.

Sniper slept like a log the entire time. Medic, however, came over to investigate. “Scoutchen?” He rubbed the boy’s back, softly. “Are you alright?”   
"No..." The attack from the tank had really shaken him up.

“Come.” Medic held his hand out. “You can come over and sit by me. It is varm over in zhat corner.” He smiled, tenderly.   
Scout paused. "But... I'll leave Sniper cold..."   
“He vill be fine, Scoutchen.” Another smile, and still that hand was held out.

Scout took it, but not before pausing to give Sniper a kiss on the cheek and placing a blanket over his sleeping form. He followed Medic back to the corner and snuggled next to him, feeling anxious without reason.

Medic cuddled him back, but noticed the boy’s tenseness. “You know…” he whispered, “I did manage to sneak out some light sedatives in case ve needed zhem. I could cut zhem in haff. It vould be enough to calm your nerves.”

"No..." Scout sighed. "What if something happens and we need to take a run for it? What then? I'm just..." A shaky breath. "Upset."   
Medic sighed and nodded, rubbing Scout’s back. “It vas just a zhought.”

"Hey, Doc...?" came the soft question. "What's yer name, huh?"   
“My…name?” He whispered, a little bit shocked. He hadn’t told it to anyone in years.   
"Yeah... I figure we've... been with each other long enough to... To maybe share it..."

Medic paused. “… You first.”   
"Are ya scared?" Curiosity.

“Nein.” He shook his head. “Just…vorried you von’t like it.” He chuckled, blushing a little.   
"Oh..." A chuckle. "Well, my name is... It's Peter, alright?"

Medic smiled. “Zhat is a nice name. Mine…my name is Mertin.”   
Scout grinned. "Cute. I thought it'd be something... intense, yanno? Like Bruce or Heinz. But Mertin is real, real cute."

“Ja?” Medic smiled, blushing a little.   
"Yeah." A nod with a smile.  
“Vell… zhank you, Scoutchen.” He smiled, planting a kiss on the boy’s forehead.

For some reason, it made Scout feel better. He looked down. "We're actually people... Sometimes it's easy to forget, but we... We have a reason to be here... Else we wouldn't be here. Right?"   
“Right.” Medic nodded. “Everyzhing happens for a reason. Ve all survived for some reason. Vhat it is, I don’t know, but it’s zhere.” Perhaps those previously hired in the war were genetically predisposed to withstand the illness… Perhaps it had been induced by frequent Respawns? He’d have to think on it further.

Scout nodded, then kissed the older man's fingers sweetly. "No matter what happens, man..." he started. He was unable to finish, though, seeming unsure about how to do it.   
“Vhat is it, liebling?” Medic smiled, reaching up to stroke the boy’s face, tenderly.

"I... I'll... always be there," he finished lamely, unable to process the huge flood of emotion overwhelming him. “For you.”  
The older man just chuckled, and kissed Scout’s hair again. “As vill I, Scoutchen. As vill I.”

Scout nodded and fell asleep against the man again, still unsure, but a little less afraid.

Medic let him sleep, but stayed awake, himself. He was on guard duty, after all. Every little noise made him jump, and cling a little tighter to his Scout. He wanted nothing more than to just curl up somewhere with the boy, warm and safe, but he knew that wasn’t likely to happen anytime soon.


	33. Game Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a tense night, the group prepare to try to fight their way to the distant coast.

The next day was tough to get up for. Everyone was sore, including Heavy and especially Soldier from the strenuous day before. Heavy yawned, stretched, and cracked his back. He searched for more food as Medic began shaking people awake. They had an early morning ahead of them.

Seeing how pained his two carriers were, Spy felt bad, and crawled out of bed by himself. He limped around, to the kitchenette, and ate a small breakfast with the rest of them. He was growing stronger, but he still had a way to go. He was looking a little paler than usual, too, which had Medic concerned, but he chalked it up to the harrowing experience last night. He’d seen himself in the bathroom mirror. He looked pretty pale, too.

Heavy thought nothing of his aching body, owing it to having to pull the dumpster and lifting himself up to the roof the day before. Even with help, he was a... very sturdy man.

Despite the rest they’d had, everyone still seemed pretty tired. Even Scout was less chatty than usual. Truth be told, they could all use some coffee, but was there any to be found? Of course not.

Spy was the one who broke the awkward, early-morning silence. “So…where do we go from ‘ere?”   
"Southeast?" Soldier suggested, passing out more granola bars. "I have a feeling we'd get lost trying to find our way back to the safe house."

“Heading for the water, then?” Sniper asked, scratching at his stubble. “That still the plan?”   
"Yeah. Best one we've got so far. Any objections?" Soldier asked, still not quite adapt to playing ‘team captain’ again, but he seemed to drift easily into the role for the most part.

Sniper looked over at Scout, and then back to Soldier. “Supposing not every one of us wants to go to th’ Florida Keys, aye? What then?”   
"Where would you like to go, then?" Soldier asked tersely.

“Up north.” Sniper replied. “New England, thereabouts.”   
Heavy looked confused. "Why there? Is even longer journey and in heart of infection!"

Again, Sniper looked over at Scout, who was eating his own granola bar in the corner as he re-tied the stubborn laces of his sneakers. “Scout’s from Boston. His family’s still there.”   
Scout paused and shook his head sadly. "We don't know that..." he sighed sadly.

“Yes we do.” Sniper stated, sternly. “Your family’s there, and they’re perfectly fine, and they ain’t infected or nothing, and your mom’s gonna show up at the door with bloody cookies and milk when we arrive.” He seemed almost angry about Scout’s lack of belief in this.

"Naw, man, Scout sighed, shaking his head. "Who knows if they're still there... They probably left soon as the outbreak happened. Like Medic did, yeah?" He motioned to the man. "There's no tellin' where they went. But we gotta look out for ourselves for now."

“But…they’re your family, mate.” Sniper pressed, looking down at Scout on the floor, sadly. “What if they are up there? What if they’re all waiting for you to come home and be with ‘em, huh?”   
"I don't think they'd want me to die tryin' to get there..." Scout sniffled, looking down and wiping at his eyes. "I wouldn't wish it on them, after all..."

Sniper sighed, feeling like the biggest ass in the world for making Scout cry, even a little. He squeezed the boy’s shoulder, reassuringly. “If you’re sure, mate, then we’ll just head south like the others, okay?”

"Yeah..." A weak smile. "You guys are my family now, ya hear? Once all this is over, sure, I'll head back, and I'll see how everyone is and what they're doing, but for now, I... I gotta do what's best for me. And for y'all. Splittin' up could kill us, too."   
“Roight, then.” Sniper nodded. “South it is.”

Spy coughed, lightly, to get the others' attention. “I ‘ate to bring zhis up now, but…well, razher now zhen later, I suppose. But…does anyone know ‘ow to operate a boat? At all?”   
Scout raised his hand. "Yo. Jacked a boat off of my uncle once. Best joyride ever."

“Yes, but was it a sailboat, or one wizh a motor?” Spy inquired.   
"It had a motor. Why?"

“Because taking a motorboat to zhe Florida keys from 'ere is not going to work.” Spy explained. “It’s too far. We’d run out of gasoline long before we ever reached it. What we really need is to sail.”   
"... Well, fuck..." Scout sighed. "I guess we could still use the boat if it had a motor, right? Follow along the coast far enough to stay outta trouble and drop by whenever we need gas for it an' shit?"

“What if we don’t find any?” Spy retorted. “If we run out in zhe middle of zhe water, zhe current could drag us ‘oo knows where. We’d starve to deazh before we even saw zhe keys on zhe ‘orizon.”   
"Well, I'd take us back to the coast before then, dude..." A wince.   
“And what if we land in a town zhat’s even more overrun wit infected zhan ‘ere?” Spy didn’t like having to state these things, but they needed to be said. They really did. “We’d be trapped, wizh nowhere to go.”

Scout began to get irritable. "Well, fuck, man! What do you want us to do?! Walk there on foot, huh?! We don't KNOW what kinda boat is there IF there's a boat at all, and even if there WAS a sail boat, NONE OF US KNOWS HOW TO FUCKING USE THEM." He marched over to the Frenchman, sat beside him, and slammed his palms down on the table in front of him. "So you got a fix, homeboy? I'm waitin'!"

“Scout, keep it down,” Sniper warned, going to stand anxiously at the door in case the infected were attracted by his rising voice.

“I am not zhe one ‘oo ‘as caused us zhese problems, Scout.” Spy frowned from his place at the small table. “But zhey do exist, and to not acknowledge zhem now can put us in danger later. Do not blame me for trying to keep us all safe and alive, and prepared.”

“No they don’t!” Scout snapped. “You’re just making shit up to make me look stupid! What do we DO if we run into them?!” Scout demanded. “A motor boat would be a helluva lot faster than walkin' - especially with Infected all around - and if we did walk, we'd probably end up in the same exact places than if we'd gotten stranded on the boat -- lots of infected or not. Cause we'd still be following the coast! What do we do, huh? If there's just a motorboat? Ya honestly think we should just fuckin' hoof it and hope for the best?"

Spy looked around at the table, and then looked back to the Scout. “Considering zhat I seriously doubt you could squeeze all six of us into a motor boat, yes. Or would you simply strand some of us on zhe coast and jet off wizhout us? Is zhat your plan?” Spy frowned, dripping cynicism now. "So much for 'family', hein?"

Scout cried out with anger, frustration, and disbelief, got up, and tipped the table over in sheer spite. "Fine then -- YOU fucking come up with the plans from now on, SMARTASS!" he snapped storming off to the corner on the opposite end of the room. He pouted with his arms folded and eyes brimming with tears.

“_Shhh!_” Heavy scolded him, running to ensure the infected hadn’t heard his outburst and come to investigate. Scout just flipped him the bird and went back to pouting.

Spy sighed, and limped over to Scout, practically falling down with every step. He leaned heavily against the wall. “Scout, look at me.” He started, in a dull, tired tone. “I zhink we bozh know zhat zhe chances of me even making it out of zhis town alive are low. I just want to make sure zhat you and zhe ozhers ‘ave zhe right attitude about future plans -- zhat you don’t rush into zhings wizhout zhinking zhrough zhe dangers first.” He sighed, and looked over at the rest of the group. “I know I’m probably going to die. I understand zhat. But I don’t want zhe rest of you to join me, alright?”

Scout gritted his teeth together and shoved Spy away from his personal space, nearly knocking him over in the process. Still refusing to look him in the eye, he whispered venomously, "Just leave me alone, man..."   
The Frenchman sighed, shaking his head. “I am sorry if I upset you,” he whispered.

Scout just wiped away his tears with the heel of his palm and set his jaw grimly, wisely deciding not to speak what was on his mind. Soldier took the Frenchman gently and led him away.  
Spy practically fell into Soldier when he took him, and just hung over him, like a limp ragdoll, still desperately trying to stand and regain himself.

Soldier gingerly placed him back on the bed. "Don't move for now," he commanded gently.   
Medic came over after righting the table, and began fussing over Spy -- checking his temperature and such, while the rest gathered up what little supplies were to be had. Seemed the infected hadn’t thought much of the loud noises for now, but they couldn’t risk sticking around to see how long their luck would hold out.

Soldier gave a decisive nod to the rest of the group. "So. When are we leavin', huh? We'll figure out what to do at the coast once we get there. For now, I think we should at least make progress until we get to another safehouse."   
“And find some food.” Sniper added. “Dry cereal and moldy toast ain’t much to live off of.”   
A nod from Solly. "Yeah."

Scout was mostly unapologetic over his little outburst, and continued sulking until it was go time and Heavy was moving the shelf from the door again. Spy sat up weakly, and tried to stand again, but just ended up back on the bed. Dizzy spells were a bitch.

Heavy lifted the man into his broad arms as Soldier made sure his gun was loaded and his extra ammo was easily accessible. He was the first one out, taking down any stray infected wandering the halls.

“I can walk. Put me down.” Spy stated stubbornly as his legs dangled in the air.   
"None of this. You cannot run," Heavy shushed.

Spy sighed. He knew Heavy was right. “I’d say you should just shoot me, and save my being a burden, but zhen I would probably worry about you wasting a bullet on me.” He hated being so weak and useless.   
"None of this, either. We are family, like Scout says. Now hush."

“Yes, I’m zhe baby of zhe family, apparently.” He retorted, dryly. “Getting carried everywhere, being spoon-fed, being coddled. Next zhing you’ll be changing diapers.”   
Heavy ignored him this time.

Spy just laid there, face in his chest, quietly. “I’m sorry.” He whispered.   
"Is okay. But must be quiet now. Is dangerous."   
He merely nodded in response and would keep his mouth shut until someone said it was okay to speak up again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're about 2/3rds of the way done, but I'm going to take a break here. I know I said I wouldn't be meddling too much with the story, but at this point in the RP, Izzy and I forewent writing a big long action scene because that wasn't really what we were interested in at the time. But reading it back, I feel as though the story could benefit a lot from having a fully fleshed out action scene, and I'm fully willing to write one. But seeing as I have a lot on my plate already, it might take some time. Not to worry, though! We'll be back soon hopefully, and the introduction of my favorite character is right around the corner! I'll see you around until then, and thanks for reading!


	34. Fort Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group fight their way through Baton Rogue and come across a discovery that might be a game changer.

<strike>bluhbluhbluh action shooting zombies bluhhh augh save me I’ve got you I’m saved we're running again</strike>

It’s funny how fast the day goes by when you’re running for your life from a pack of bloodthirsty zombies.

Finally, the group got a small reprieve, in the form of an urban fort, made of tires and tire irons. They all managed to squeeze inside, and here they could rest for a bit. And boy, did they need it. Medic was sporting a nice shiner on his cheek from where someone had swung a bat and missed the Smoker around his neck. Sniper’s arms were mildly burnt from a Spitter’s acid. Soldier had been jockeyed at least twice, and Heavy and Spy both still smelled strongly of Boomer vomit.

Scout stamped his foot down and pouted even more. "This was a shitty idea," he muttered just for the sake of being spiteful. “Shoulda just found our old crib and gone back there… Stupid fuckin’ Florida Keys…”  
Heavy had put Spy down and was wandering around the place. "Must be something we can use here."

Spy shifted on the sleeping bag he’d been laid on, and felt something crunch underneath him. “ ‘ey.” He called out to the others. “I zhink I’m lying on some food.”  
Scout zoomed over. "What - really?"

Spy shifted again, and pulled the bag up. Underneath was a stash of junk food- bags of chips, boxes of cookies, cans of soda- a 12-year-old’s gold mine.  
Scout's eyes went wide. "Man, I love you, Spy..." he choked out.

"NO," Heavy scolded. "This is not good food. Eating much of it now would make you feel sick and bad. We take with us, but not eat until later."  
“Piss on that, mate.” Sniper muttered. “ ‘m starvin’ as it is. Toss over some chips, Scout.”  
Scout threw them, already munching on the cookies. Heavy just sighed.

There was a faint, distracting sound of buzzing. It was unnatural.  
Sniper paused, chip half-hanging out of his mouth. He chewed quickly and swallowed it. Looking to the ceiling of the fort, he asked,  
“Oi, ‘s anybody else ‘ear that?”

"Huh?" Soldier asked, distracted from peering out into the distance to make sure they were in no immediate threat.  
“That.” Sniper pointed upwards. “Hear it? ‘s like…a bee, or somethin’?”  
“A BEE? OH GOTT VHERE?!” Medic freaked out, looking around for it frantically. Hey, everyone needs a phobia.

As it turned out, it was a tiny radio on the... er... ceiling. It was making a small static noise, but -something- was faintly distinguishable in the noise.

“Wot th’ bloody hell is that?” Sniper stared up at it.  
“It looks like a radio.” Spy replied. “Take it down, let’s see.”

“No way, mate. Ain’t touchin’ it.” Sniper shook his head. “Never know. Might be a bomb or something.”  
Scout rolled his eyes and leapt up easily, grabbing the simple mechanism.

<strike>Then they all exploded and died.</strike> Okay, not really.

Scout waved it in Sniper's face, grinning. "Ohhhhhh, be careful, I think it's a bomb! Heh, you can be a real bonehead sometimes, ya know that?"  
Sniper just frowned and snatched it from him. “Why’s it making that sound?” He started fiddling with the dials while the rest of the group looked on, curious.

Most of it was a garbled, static-swathed mess.  
".............--res--..................."

Soldier jumped. "Whoa - hold on, Private! I thought I heard a voice, there!"  
“Yeah, Yeah, I heard it too.” He nodded, fumbling with the dials again. “Bloody hell, me hands are so sweaty. Someone else take over, eh?” He held it out in front of him.

Heavy handed it to Spy. All of their hands were pretty sweaty, actually. With nimble fingers, Spy began to twist and turn the dials, trying to get back to that voice they’d heard.

".....--hear me? Any survivors in the nearby area, please respond."

Everyone froze. Spy slowly lifted his hand away from the dial. “ ‘ow do I respond?” He looked over at the group.

Soldier reached out for the radio grimly.  
Spy let him have it, and watched to see what he would do. Someone else was alive? Exciting news indeed.

"... Do you read me? Any nearby survivors in the area, please respond. This is--"  
"We read you loud and clear, soldier."

A cry of shock and surprise. "H...Holy... Hello? HELLO?!"  
Spy smiled. “Ask ‘im where ‘e is. Maybe ‘e is at a safe’ouse or somezhing.”

A nod. "Yes, hello," Soldier barked out, his usual gruff voice back almost completely. "We read you loud and clear, Private. Where is your location?"  
A pause. "S...Solly...? Is that you?"

“Do you know ‘im?” Spy whispered.  
The soldier shrugged. "Um... Yes. I was a Soldier working under the management of RED once."  
"RED? Oh... Dagnabbit."

"Are you an Engineer?" Soldier asked, picking up on the man's accent.  
"Yeah. I worked for BLU. Used to, anyway. Now, I work for myself." A pause. "_Mostly,_" he muttered.  
“Where are you?” Spy spoke into the radio.

"Uh... I'm rollin' up highway... Lesseee.... Highway 10 as we speak. Headed towards Baton Rouge. Should be crossing the Horace Wilkinson Bridge in another 30 minutes or thereabouts."  
“You’re in a vehicle?” Spy was surprised.  
"Yeah. Built it myself."

"Shoulda known!" Scout piped up. "Classic Egghead, amirite, fellahs?"  
"Lord almighty, how many of ya'll are there?!"

“Zhere are six of us.” Spy replied. “Don’t suppose you ‘ave room for us in your car, or whatever it is, do you?”  
"Well, we do, but it'll be a tight squeeze." Discomfort. "Say... Ya'll ain't _all_ REDs, now are ya?"

“Non.” Spy replied. “Zhree of us are RED, and zhree BLU, but I zhink it’s safe to say zhat we’ve long since moved past our former employers, I assure you.”  
"Oh, good. Now do y'all have a way of signalling me over or what?"  
“Euh…” Spy looked up at his group. “Do we?”

Scout poked around, and suddenly began laughing. "Uh... Yeah. We do."  
He waved over the group where he showed them a plethora of fireworks in a stash.  
“That’ll work.” Sniper grinned.

"Now be careful, ya'll. Whatever y'got planned, it's probably gonna call over the infected as well as me, y'hear? Don't do anything 'less yer ready."  
“I am afraid we are as ready as we’re ever going to be.” Spy replied. “I ‘ope you ‘ave a lot of ammo wit you, monsieur. We are going to need it.”

"Got it. Signin' off fer now."  
“Alright. See you soon, I ‘ope.”

"Bye, pardner. Good luck."  
“You too.” A click. Spy looked up at his teammates. “Well, ‘o’s got a lighter?” He asked, pointing to the fireworks.

Everyone looked around, shrugging and frowning.

Spy just sighed. “Someone find me some sticks, zhen. Doing it zhe old-fashioned way, it seems.”

"You sure about this?" Scout asked, raising an eyebrow. He didn't know what could go wrong, but it seemed like SOMETHING would, starting a fire indoors like that.  
A scoff. “I lived on zhe streets for most of my life. I know ‘ow to start a fire, Scout.”

"I'm not askin IF you know how to do it. I'm askin if it's a good idea."  
Spy smiled a little. The boy was thinking things through, now. Good. “I zhink being rescued is a very good idea, Scout.” With that, he began to rub the sticks together, creating a flame there within minutes.

Soldier held a firework out to the fire casually as Scout squealed and recoiled.

“Wait, wait!” Spy held the flame back. “One…of zhese things is not going to attract our savior’s attention, now is it? If we’re going to do zhis, we go big wizh it.” He pointed to the whole bag of fireworks. “And we don’t set zhem off in an enclosed space like zhis.” He pointed to the ceiling of the fort.

"Oh. Right." Forethought - Soldier excelled in it.  
Scout just rolled his eyes. No one EVER listened to him...

“Roight, then.” Sniper nodded, perusing the fireworks. He chucked the little sparklers aside- they’d be no good. “We’ll need to get outside to use these, won’t we.” He sighed, remembering the size of the horde that had chased them in here.

“We could use the roof," Scout offered. "It'd be easier for him to see us there, too."  
“Only problem is zhat not all of us could get up zhere.” Medic spoke up, gesturing to Spy, who was hurt, and Heavy, who was fat. Ouch.

"Well, we could.... Iunno, find a ladder or somethin' and prop it against the side, right?"  
"That'd be too dangerous, private," Soldier cut in. "I don't even think we HAVE a ladder around here, and going outside, trying to face all those infected again while trying to put the thing in place? I cannot condone this.

“ ‘ey, ‘ey, simple solution.” Spy spoke up, still holding the burning stick. “Some of you climb up on zhe roof, light zhe devices, and once zhe Engineer arrives, clear a pazh for zhose of us down ‘ere to get out, and we all escape togezher.”

Nodding. "Sounds good..." Heavy admitted. "I will stay with Spy. Maybe need one more, though? Maybe Soldier?"

The flame traveled down the dry stick a little too quickly, and licked at Spy’s hand. With a sharp cry of pain, he dropped the stick, and sucked his fingers in his mouth, grimacing when he tasted the Boomer vomit still. “Maybe Medic should stay instead.” He chuckled. “Aie…” he hissed, blowing cold air on the burn.

Soldier nodded, actually. "Good idea, Spy! He is a Doctor, after all, and a very valuable member of the team! We should keep him off the front lines for now."  
Medic nodded his assent, and came over to assist Spy with his burnt finger. It was a small burn- nothing to be really concerned about, but it’s always the tiny injuries that sting the most.

“Roight then.” Sniper nodded, already scaling the inside of the fort’s walls. “Let’s set these bad boys up.” He grinned, patting the satchel full of fireworks slung around his shoulder.

Scout grinned and patted his baseball bat against the heel of his shoe. Soldier just grinned and pumped his shotgun. It felt great to be back in the action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "bluhbluhbluh action shooting zombies bluhhh augh save me I’ve got you I’m saved we're running again"
> 
> I tried, I really did, to write a kick ass, action packed chapter to get rid of that cute little throw-away line, but I just couldn't. My heart just wasn't in it and it felt like everything I wrote turned to shit. So I decided to skip it for now and come back to it if I feel up for it in the future.
> 
> Updating once a day is no longer gonna be a thing. Now that we're done with the dull slog that was the Pharmacy section and things are getting good again, I no longer feel any need to rush through things. So we'll try for once a week for now.


	35. Left Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Scout, Soldier, and Sniper try to clear a path and set up the fireworks to alert their rescue vehicle, they run into a dire problem that leaves one of them fighting for his life and another one left to an unforgiving fate.

Sniper pushed open the trapdoor at the top of the fort, and came out into the waning sunlight. They’d wait until it set a little further -- in this light, you’d never see the fireworks. The infected were still gathered around the fort, shambling and growling, but they were less in number now. That’d change soon, most likely.

Letting the other two men out, Sniper moved and began setting the fireworks up on the roof of the shelter. Scout was racing around, distracting those that were getting too close and batting them on the head. It was a nice feeling to do this again.

“Don’t get too close, P!” Sniper called out, warning. “Wanna keep your arms, dontcha?”  
"I got it, man, no worries! BOINK!"

“Just be careful.” Sniper ordered sternly as he arranged the fireworks as best he could. “ ‘ey, Solly. Y’ever set this sorta thing off before?”  
"Not once!" Soldier replied with a hearty laugh.

Sniper laughed, too. “We’ll we’re a fine pair, ain’t we!” It was hard to worry when they were so close to rescue. “ ‘ere. Take these ones and set em up facin’ the other way, in case he’s over on that side.” Sniper handed him a few, and went to fixing one of the fireworks that had fallen over.

"Right away, Soldier!" A salute and a grin.  
“Oi! I’m the Sniper here, you’re the Soldier!” Snipes laughed, poking fun at the other man.  
"Oi! Not today, mate! Wanker! Bilbo Baggins!"

Sniper was practically rolling over laughing. “You’re a riot, mate!” He knocked over a few more fireworks in his laughter, and quickly set them right again. “Have to get this one his own stand-up show, eh Scout? ... Scout?”

Silence for a while.  
_"Scout?!"_

The boy's brunette head came popping up as he tried his best to cling to the side of the building and scuttle his way up like a spider monkey having a panic attack. There was pure terror on his face. "Guys, we got a _probleeeem..."_

Sniper gasped and ran over to help the boy up. “What is it? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Pure panic shone in his eyes.

"There are witches wandering ALL OVER the place, man..." Scout whispered, eyes darting around in panic. "Like, I saw _five._ I have no idea where they came from or WHY they're fucking here, but if we set off those fireworks, they're going to be PISSED, man....!"

“…piss.” Was all Sniper could say, as he sat back on his ass, stroking his stubble, staring off into the distance. “Wot d’we do, then?”  
Soldier sighed and readied his shotgun. "We pick 'em off, one by one. Scout, do you think you could distract them while we shoot?"

Terror. "No way, man! Those things run almost as fast as me!"  
"Not when they're on fire.” Soldier pointed out. “Here's some Molotovs. Make 'em count. We'll cover you from here - just run as fast as you can - in a circle around the building would probably be best."  
The kid still seemed plenty nervous.

Sniper suddenly grabbed onto Scout in a tight hug. “Don’t do this ‘less you’re sure you can.”  
A shaky exhale. "Yeah, I think we can. We gotta, right? Gotta do somethin'." Worry was obvious on his young face, but determination, too.

“Okay, mate. Good luck.” Sniper smiled at him, and gave him a last pat on the back. Hopefully not the last he’d ever give him. He moved over to the hole, spoke into it, and Medic tossed up his gun. “Ready?” He asked the two.

Scout readied his Molotovs and nodded. "Yeah."  
Soldier was standing up straight and proud, his attentive eyes scoping the entire field.

Scout leaped off, scrambling off about a block away and rounding the corner. Suddenly, there was the crashing of a bottle, a loud scream of rage, and Scout came sprinting back toward the building. He was cursing up a storm as a lone witch followed him, swiping her claws as if to wave off the fire.

Sniper began shooting her immediately. He wasn’t as used to a shotgun, so a few missed, but he still landed some pretty good shots. Soldier was landing some direct shots in her upper torso and head, plenty used to the shotgun by then. The witch spluttered and fell to the ground, dead, within seconds.

Scout grinned up at the men.

Sniper panted, relieved. “Well, one down, aye?”  
Scout flashed them a thumbs-up, and dashed away again.

The next two witches were easy. Throw a Molotov or a gas tank, run like hell, other people shoot it. Easy. Scout couldn't say he was getting cocky, but this was going a lot better than expected.

Soldier was reloading, waiting for the next Molotov to be thrown, when he heard wheezing.

Suddenly, Scout was sprinting towards them with an angry witch on his tail, but before Soldier could do anything, Sniper was roped up by a long, slimy tongue and was being dragged away.

“GAH!” Sniper cried as the appendage snatched him up. Soon his back was being scraped from being pulled along the metal studs of the fort. “HELP!” He rasped, trying to call out.

Soldier looked around wildly. He had Sniper being dragged off to God-knew-where on one hand and Scout being chased on the other, and there was NO right choice. Scout screamed out, horrified as Soldier abandoned him with a grumbled curse and ran off in the opposite direction. "H... HEY! Help! I still need help!!!" There was no answer.

Sniper was dragged off the very building now.  
Soldier cursed and tried to chase after him. He couldn't see the Smoker, so his only choice was to sever the tongue with his shovel.

By the time he’d cut it, Sniper had practically gotten the life choked out of him. It hadn’t been on him for long, but that tongue had squeezed hard -- VERY hard. The bruises forming around his neck were reason enough to think that something had been broken.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck..." Soldier muttered, cradling him. "C'mon - we just gotta get back, alright? How are ya. You with me?"

“Hnnn…Pff…Mm…” was all Sniper could say. His eyes were half-closed, and he didn’t seem to want to move any of his limbs right now. It was taking far too much effort for him to even breathe properly. The wheezing sounds from the Smoker now sounded like they were coming out of him, instead.

Soldier cursed again and dragged the man into the building with Scout still running around and screaming for help outside. "PLEASE! PLEASE, LET ME IN! SHE'S COMIN', MAN, SHE'S COMIN!!! DON'T LEAVE ME OUT HERE!!!"

Soldier set Sniper down on the floor gingerly. "Alright, Men, change of plans!" he snarled. "Medic! With me."

“Vhat?!” Medic gasped, fussing over Sniper already, “Vhat is going on? Vhat happened?”

Medic set to propping Sniper’s head properly, so blood flowed to his brain the way it should. Upon inspection, he found that the neck wasn’t broken, but it came very close to it, and it was really swollen around the vertebrae.

"Smoker got 'im. Didn't really see what happened, but he's still out there, and so is Scout, and he's being chased by a Witch, so we don't have much time."

“Oh mon dieu.” Spy gasped from the corner, shaking his head in disbelief. “Give me your gun.” He held out his hand to Heavy while he stood up, shakily. “I’ll get rid of it.”

"You sure, Spy?" Soldier asked, concerned. "There's still a smoker out there."  
“Well, zhen you watch my back, okay?” he held his arm out for Soldier to take. Already, he was pretty wobbly.  
A nod.

Spy slung his arm over Soldier’s shoulder, and readied the gun. “_Allons-y._” he nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently, igniting a Wandering Witch with a molotov does nothing to slow it down, unlike stationary Witches, but we didn't know that at the time. Whoops! Maybe Scout is naturally faster than them and just never thought to put it to the test after seeing what one can do.


	36. Siege

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group signals their rescuer for help. Spy gets a surprise.

Soldier pulled Spy up to the roof with a grunt, setting him down to overlook the edge of the building while still staying a safe distance away. Scout ran as fast as his thin legs could take him, screaming with panic as the Witch loomed closely. “GUYS, GUYS, GUYS!!!” he screamed, nearly sobbing with terror.

Spy lined up his shot with the powerful hunting rifle, scoring a few headshots that made the creature stumble in place for a few moments. Soldier followed it up quickly with shotgun blasts, and between the two of them, they took the creature down.

Scout slowed to a grateful stop, and leaned against the wall of the building, huffing with exertion. “Oh, god…” he groaned. “Holy fuck, I’m gonna hurl.”  
Spy peered down at him as Soldier reloaded. “Are you un’armed?” he called.  
Scout flashed a quick thumbs-up, then went back to wishing he was already dead.

“Look alive, Private!” Soldier barked out. “Was that the last of the Witches in the area?”  
Scout gulped. “Y… Yeah, I think so. So all we gotta do is set up the fireworks and--”

He was cut off by a slimy tongue wrapping around his neck from behind. There was a strangled yelp as the boy was forcefully pulled back against his will, back scraping against the pavement.

Soldier cursed. “SHIT! It’s back! Cover me, Frenchie--”  
The scope was already to Spy’s eye. “No need,” he replied smoothly as a shot rang out. There was an explosion of toxic spores off in the distance, but Scout was released from the powerful pull of the monster.

Scout flung the slimy thing away from him, shaking, and quickly jumped up on the rooftop again with a shudder. “Alright, that’s it. I’m done for the day,” he muttered, shaken. “I’m ready to be fuckin’ rescued already…”  
Spy glared at him from his seat on the ground. “Be more careful next time.”

Scout could have punched the scrawny little fuckhead then and there. “Listen here, fuckface! I just got done serving as bait for five fucking pissed of Witches just so we could-- … Huh?” He looked around. “Wh… Where’s Snipes, man?”  
Soldier frowned. This wasn’t going to be easy to hear. “... He was pulled off the roof by his neck due to that Smoker we just killed. Medic isn’t certain how serious the damage is yet. I’m sorry that I wasn’t fast enough to help him.”

Scout’s face went white as a sheet. “He--WHAT?! No, no, no, no… NO! Not Snipes, man!” He swore he could feel tears threatening.  
Soldier took him by his shoulders. “Listen here, Private. We still have a job to do. We need to set up those fireworks and get everyone to Engineer’s vehicle once he arrives, okay? We can’t afford to feel sorry for ourselves now.”

Scout gave a short, dry little sob and nodded, showing he understood. “Y… Yeah… Okay…”  
Soldier patted him on the back reassuringly, then looked back to Spy. “We’re going to set things up. You get to work making a fire with these.” He handed Spy a few dried pieces of wood to get kindling with.  
Spy nodded and began rubbing them between his hands as fast as he could.

The common infected were already starting to mill about, but didn’t seem to notice the small group on the roof, since they moved so quietly and didn’t invite much attention. Before long, they were ready. Soldier poked his head in from the roof, and nodded towards heavy. “Find out if Engie’s ready, big guy.”

Heavy nodded, then picked up the small radio receiver as daintily as he could. “Engineer! You are ready, da?”  
“Roger!” came the cheery response. “Go ahead and signal me, and I’ll make my way over soon as I can. I’m entering the city now.”

“Da! Will tell them we are ready.”  
“That’s a 10-4, good buddy! Over and out.”  
Heavy assumed that meant he understood, and flashed Soldier a thumbs-up. “Go now!”

Soldier nodded and lit the first of many fuses, then quickly helped Spy down back into the building so he wouldn’t be in harm’s way. Scout went down as soon as he could, checking on Sniper’s condition. It seemed Medic had strapped his head to some sort of stiff board to keep it from moving around while they were transporting him. Heavy would probably have to carry him to the vehicle, which meant Soldier was, once again, in charge of helping Spy.

The first firework finally went off with an earth-shattering BOOM, and the infected quickly countered with a howl of rage of their own. They rushed at the building from all directions, trying to get at the distracting lights and sounds. Soldier didn’t have many Molotovs left, and pipe-bombs were usually drowned out by the louder noises of the fireworks on the roof, so they instead made good use of the bile bombs, shotguns, and propane tanks they had on hand. Seeing as they were mostly safe inside the enclosed fort, they were mainly trying to keep their escape paths from getting too clogged once Engineer made it.

After holding out for a few minutes, Engineer’s voice rang out over the radio again. “Alright, I’ve laid eyes on ya! Start movin’ out now and I’ll meet up with you at the front!”

As soon as they were ready, Scout and Heavy forced the door open, and Scout sped away, running circles around the infected and batting heads in. Medic was next out, with Heavy carrying Sniper next and Soldier supporting Spy bringing up the rear.

Leaving the fort was a difficult task, but not as bad as they'd imagined with the Smoker and the Witches gone. The Infected fled to them like cattle to the slaughter, and with all of them watching each other's backs, it was no problem at all. They even took out two Hunters at once thanks to Spy’s sharp eyes and Heavy’s massive strength. He punched one dead as it was flying through the air just as Spy headshotted one that was starting to crouch.

The situation was wearing on them all, though -- some more so than others. Spy was leaning quite heavily on Soldier, and Sniper was still completely unconscious. Medic himself looked pretty worn too, but he was able to hold his own in their battle -- at least for as long as they needed to get away.

Scout was still batting heads left and right, protecting Medic and Sniper. Oh, Heavy, too, but that was more of a side-effect of him protecting the others.

When the truck finally rolled up and honked blaringly, all Heavy could do was laugh.

Spy looked over at it, and practically dropped his gun in shock. “What zhe ‘ell is zhat?!” he laughed too, and took down another common infected that got too close.

Engineer had basically turned a pretty, dark blue SUV into a Monster Truck with its front end decorated like a shark, spikes on the sides that would impale any infected that got too close, and a mounted minigun on top. Heavy was in love.

“RAUS! RAUS!” Medic shouted. “HURRY!” He and Heavy began hauling Sniper off towards the vehicle.  
Now that they were at the finish line, Scout felt comfortable using his Scattergun again to blast away any infected that got too close to his team, since ammo wasn’t as big a concern anymore.

A door popped open in the large vehicle and a small ladder was lowered. The infected mostly ignored the machine and were going for the survivors in front of them. A pair of hands reached out to pull everyone to safety as they approached one after the other.

Soldier, of course, was bringing up the rear, defending his comrades. He seemed to have almost forgotten that Spy was still clinging tightly to him, and seemed to not even notice how the other man was reloading more slowly, firing less often, and getting heavier and heavier against his shoulder.

No one else noticed this of course, because everyone was otherwise occupied.

Soldier shifted his weight, suddenly aware of Spy again. "C'mon, Sally, hustle. Hustle!" he commanded.  
“Quoi?” Spy stumbled when his crutch moved, and just barely caught himself before he hit the concrete.

Soldier sighed - loudly, and, for the first time, was tempted to just leave Spy there. He wondered what the man would do. If he would cry or beg for forgiveness after basically abusing Soldier's trust and kindness and emotions and—

He picked Spy up, hauling him to his shoulder again. "Keep. _Up,_" he growled, glaring into the man's eyes. He began taking off again to catch up with the group.

Soldier’s stern glare was met with surprised fear. Spy merely nodded, and put all of his strength into running alongside the other man. “I’m…sorry…” He panted, wincing every so often as he ran.  
"Whatever," Soldier growled, bashing in an infected's skull with his good arm. He tried not to think about what that sick part of his mind was yelling at him to do.

Spy was silent, but the look of fear and hurt was still evident on his face. He felt like, somehow, he’d done something to upset Soldier, though he wasn’t entirely sure what it was. They’d made up, hadn’t they? They were like…friends again, weren’t they?

When the men finally made it to the huge vehicle, the first to go up was Sniper, then Medic, and Scout was the next to leap in. Then Heavy went in and Soldier gave up Spy to be next.

To Spy's surprise he was pulled up by another gloved hand similar to his own. An amused snort. "Anozher Spy? Oh, zhis will be most interesting." His RED counterpart gave him a grin that looked almost predatory.

BLU Spy tried to smile back, but was too shocked. He just allowed himself to be hoisted into the truck, with Soldier close behind as he pulled up the ladder and slammed the door shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty proud of this chapter since it was more or less made wholesale from what was supposed to be just one throw-away line like in chapter 34. We also get introduced to my personal favorite character in this RP, the RED Spy.


	37. RED vs BLU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their successful rescue, the little group get acquainted with each other and their new saviors. Things quickly go south when the Spies come to blows.

Engineer revved up the engine with a whoop, crushing many commons under his huge tires. It felt almost cathartic for the small group. Many, like Heavy, enjoyed the sound of the infected’s bones, crushing under their wheels. Medic was preoccupied with tending to Sniper though, and BLU Spy just sort of stared off into space, like he was asleep with his eyes open.

“What's the diagnosis, Doc?” Scout asked, looking over Sniper with worry.

“Not good.” Medic shook his head. “Zhat Smoker nearly broke his neck. Zhe surrounding area is all svollen. I vill haff to vait for it to go down before I can tell if zhere is any permanent damage.” Medic sighed, taking Sniper’s hand into his own, and gently encouraging the fingers to move, even a little. “I certainly hope zhere isn’t.”

A sad nod. "Me, too, Doc."

BLU Spy sighed, and leaned back in the seat, ready to take a nap. He ignored the pain in his ankle -- likely he’d just twisted it or something. The muscles there were still very weak. When he shifted, he bumped the other Spy in the shoulder by mistake. “Oh, excusez-moi.” He excused himself, shifting away again.

A chuckle. "No, you're fine, mi amigo." RED Spy was grinning as if he found this all hilarious. He was a few inches taller and was a much healthier shade of tan compared to his counterpart, but judging by the crows' feet lining the corners of his eyes, he was a few years his senior as well. It was hard to tell with the rest of his face obscured by a mask.

BLU Spy smiled back, nervously. “You’re Spanish?”  
"I speak it, yes."

“So zhen you’re not Spanish?”  
"I never said zhat."

BLU Spy just stared at him. Silent, he stretched out his hand for a handshake. _“Ravi de vous recontrer.”_  
The other Spy took it, smiling, and kissed it. _"Moi de même,"_ he responded in a sultry purr.

Soldier returned and sat beside his BLU charge and sighed, looking him over. "You alright, Frenchie?" he asked gruffly.  
"I can't say 'e is," RED Spy chuckled, sitting back casually. "Didn't you notice 'is sprained ankle?"  
_“C’est ri-_ It’s nozhing, I’m fine.” BLU Spy quickly switched back to English, and looked down at the wounded appendage, and away from Soldier, sad, and embarrassed.

"You want me to get Doc on that, Private?" Soldier asked softly.  
BLU shook his head. “I’m fine.” He repeated. “ ‘e needs to take care of Sniper, anyway. A twisted ankle is nozhing compared to a snapped neck.”

"But you are very important, _mon ami,"_ the RED Spy cooed softly. "What could be more important zhan your wellbeing?"  
"Wh...What he said," Soldier growled softly.

BLU just shook his head, and looked down at the floor. _“/It’s not important./”_ He muttered under his breath, in his native tongue so Soldier couldn’t understand. _“/I’m not important. Not at all./”_  
_"/Who convinced you of this?/"_ the other Spy asked in French, holding his counterpart's hand.  
Soldier was bristling. He didn't like being cut out of the conversation.

_“/No one. Leave me alone./”_ BLU pulled his hand out of the other Spy’s grasp, and crossed his arms around his torso. _“/Mind your own business./”_  
A chuckle. _"/Very well./"_

BLU Spy’s face just turned a little red. This new Spy was making him very uncomfortable. “Where are we going?” he asked Soldier, in English this time.  
"Shit. I forgot to ask." A pause. "You want me to go up there and tell the Engineer our plan?"

“No.” BLU shook his head. He didn’t want Soldier to leave him alone with this new Spy. Granted, Medic was about two feet in front of him, but still. He was worried the RED would try to feel him up in the backseat or something. “You should rest for a bit. You look tired. We can always tell zhe Engineer your plan later.”

"What if we're going the wrong way?" Soldier looked concerned.  
“We aren’t.” BLU pointed out the passenger-side window. “Zhere’s zhe coast, off in zhe distance. If we were going zhe wrong way, it would be on zhe ozher side.”

"Oh..." Soldier looked a little more relaxed. "Alright." A pause. "I'm sorry about before... I had some... some horrible thoughts," he whispered, pulling the man close gently. "But they weren't true. I think something was trying to trick me."

“I don’t understand.” BLU whispered back. He was secretly relieved to have the other man’s arm around him, though. It made him feel safe.  
"I don't either..." Sadness. "Do you think I'm... bad for you?" The other Spy was listening quietly. It bothered Soldier, but he still felt he had to ask.

“What do you mean?” Confusion flashed across the BLU Spy’s features as he looked up at Soldier.  
"Do you think I'm too... Do you not want me around as much? Do you think I don't give you enough space?" The hurt was obvious in the burly man's voice.

BLU paused, and bit his lip, trying to figure out how to answer the question. “Maybe…a little. I mean, you’re…you’re just…always zhere. It’s…I’m not used to zhat, you ‘ave to realize. ‘aving someone always zhere, I mean. It’s…it’s strange to me, after living on my own for so long.” He shrugged. “I’m just not used to it, zhat’s all.”

"I'll try not to, then... I'm sorry that I... made you uncomfortable." The man was obviously straining not to fall back into bad habits and get obsessed with BLU Spy again. Especially since they were... well, really talking now since that intervention by everyone else.

“Zhat doesn’t mean I…zhat I don’t want you around at all. I do, I just…” The skinny Frenchman looked back down at the ground. “Just not all zhe time.” He wrapped his arms around himself tighter, and leaned into Soldier more. “I don’t want you to ‘ate me, zhough.” He sniffled a little. “I don’t know what I did, but…I’m sorry for whatever it is.”

"I don't hate you... I... I thought you'd betrayed me, but ... I guess everyone needs space..."  
"It sounds like zhe both of you may need to get laid to me," RED Spy commented casually.

Scout turned around, that being the only thing he'd heard from the conversation.  
“Oh, _va te faire foutre.”_ BLU Spy replied with a frown.

“Doubt there’s anyone in this here truck who’s lacking in that need in these times.” The Engineer piped in.  
"I'm not." Scout grinned.  
"Good for you!" the RED Spy celebrated, grinning enthusiastically.

“Your own ‘and doesn’t count.” BLU Spy smirked.  
Scout scoffed. "Shows how much you know..." He went back to Sniper's side, holding the man's hand.

BLU Spy just chuckled, and leaned back more, resting his head against Soldier. He closed his eyes, but didn’t sleep just yet. “I’m honestly surprised zhat we survived zhat. Really I am.”  
"I'm not." A grin. "We did great, Frenchie."

“Do you ‘ave to call me zhat?” BLU Spy frowned, but didn’t open his eyes.  
"Oh, uh..." A pause. "Is there anything else I can call you? I don't like calling you Spy... You're not a Spy any more than I'm a Soldier."  
The RED Spy was still looking on, listening to their conversation

A shrug. “Could call me by my name. Zhere’s an idea.” the BLU replied dryly, still half-asleep against the other man’s shoulder.  
"I don't know it," came the quiet whisper.

BLU Spy looked up at Soldier. “I never told you it?” He seemed genuinely surprised. He thought he had. He should have. They’d been friends for long enough, after all.  
A shake of the man's head as Soldier leaned in, listening earnestly.

“It’s Nicodème.” BLU Spy answered. “Nico, if you prefer.”  
A nod. "I'm... I'm Taylor."

“Like…someone ‘oo sews?” He mimed the action of sewing.  
"Well... Yeah, but it's a name, too..." A blush.

“Yes. Well, it’s nice to know it.” Nico nodded with a smile, and held out his hand for a handshake. “Nice to meet you, Taylor.” He laughed a little at the absurdity of ‘meeting’ each other after having known each other for so long.  
A firm handshake was returned. Figured.

Medic was watching the exchange. “Well, perhaps zhis is a good time to get all zhe introductions out of zhe vay.” He mused. “Vhat does everyvone zhink?”  
"Sure thing," Scout said with a nod. Heavy and Engineer just shrugged. Might as well.

“Very vell, zhen. I suppose I shall be first.” Medic shrugged. “My name is Mertin.” He looked around the cab. “Who vants to go next?”  
Heavy pointed to himself. "Dimitri. Second Dimitri."  
Scout sniffed. "I'm Peter, and... Snipes here is Vince." The boy squeezed his hand gingerly.  
"I'm Marcus. Mighty fine t'meetch'all."

“Nico.” Spy repeated, for those who hadn’t heard before, and then looked at Soldier to do the same.  
"Uh... Taylor," Soldier murmured, blushing slightly.

Medic and Nico looked to the one in the truck who hadn’t responded yet -- RED Spy. “Vell?” Mertin asked, when he didn’t immediately answer them.  
The man rolled his eyes. "Ed. _Charmed,"_ he replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Is zhat…short for somezhing?” Nico asked.  
The RED Spy simply scoffed. "I'll make it simple for you simpletons. I do not share my name. _Ever._ Understand?"

“Why not?” Nico frowned. “What reasons could you ‘ave for keeping it secret, in times like zhese?” he gestured out the window, to a destroyed section of the town they drove through.  
"Believe it or not, I still 'ave a profile to keep up, even now, Junior," the man taunted playfully. "Maybe you should let zhe REAL Spies handle all of zhe 'ard work, non?" he cooed in a baby voice.

A deeper-set frown, and Nico pushed the RED against the wall of the truck. “I ‘ave been spying longer zhan you ‘ave been pretending to be French. Go fuck yourself.”  
A dark chuckle as the older Spy met his gaze with an unflinching one of his own. "Careful now, little Nico. Don't 'urt yourself."

Nico hauled back, and punched the RED in the face.

The next moment, the RED Spy had elbowed Nico in the jaw, shoved him against the floor mat of the vehicle, and pressed a knife against his throat.  
Engineer swerved in shock. "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA--!"

The RED Spy smiled placidly, knees pinning his BLU counterpart's arms. "Now, now. Don't go starting somezhing you can't finish." Soldier was trying to drag the man off, but the RED remained firmly planted, eyes boring into Nico's. A drop of blood trickled from his nose and splattered on the BLU's face.

Nico merely stared up at him, completely unfazed by the knife at his throat. When that little crimson drop fell on his skin, he merely smirked, as if he’d already won this little battle. Somewhere in the background, Medic was yelling at them, but Nico didn’t even hear it. He just laid there, pinned and staring up at his opposite number.

The two continued like this for a long time before Heavy finally got up and ripped them apart. "IS ENOUGH!" he roared. "Sniper is hurt, and you two fight like babies over littlest thing!"

“Pull over.” Nico ordered the Engineer, completely ignoring Heavy, aside from rubbing at where he’d shoved him back from the RED Spy.  
"I most certainly will NOT!" Engineer snapped. "Y'all know how dangerous that is?!"  
Soldier went by Nico's side. "It's not worth it..." he murmured softly. "Just let it be."

Spy was sitting down like nothing had even happened, casually wiping at his nose with a handkerchief. He unraveled some gum he'd happened across and started chewing it, blowing then popping loud, annoying bubbles.

Nico twitched with every pop of the gum. “PULL. OVER.” He ordered more sternly, ignoring everyone but their driver. “NOW.”  
"No."

_"/Surely you aren't so annoyed over a simple squabble, mon ami,/"_ Spy drawled, in what I assume was French. _"/Not everyone is so open to my unique sense of humor. I'll try to remember that for next time./"_ A smile that genuinely looked friendly. If not a bit mischievous.

Nico just looked over at him, trembling with rage, and then looked away. He stared at the floor for a long time, saying nothing.  
Soldier touched the man's shoulder, concerned, but Nico just flinched away, curling up into himself again.

Spy was just chewing his gum silently now, looking casually out of the window.

"No, no, no..." Taylor murmured, jostling his shoulder. "Don't do that, now, don't do that... I need you here - with me."  
_“Laisse-moi tranquille!”_ Nico choked out, slapping the other man’s hand away.  
"He wants to be left alone," the other Spy translated, bored.

Soldier glared at him. "... Yeah, I got that. Nico, when... When you need me again, I'll be right here, okay?"  
Nico just sat there on the floor between Soldier’s knees, trembling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This RP was done in 2011-2012, so the TFC team weren't really a thing. Maybe I would have made RED Spy the TFC Spy if we'd done it later, but at the same time, he tends to dick around a whole lot, so maybe not. 
> 
> For clarity's sake, BLU Spy will be referred to by his name "Nico" from here on out. RED Spy is played by me and I am obviously no expert at the French language, so there will be more mistakes with him than you'll notice with Nico.


	38. Cornered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Due to the stress of his confrontation, Nico needs some time to recuperate outside of Engineer's van. RED Spy takes the opportunity to lay his wishes bare.

Medic looked down at Nico, worried, but went back to tending to Sniper. “Are ve going to stop anyvhere any time soon?” He asked the Engineer. “I vould like to get Sniper someplace stable, so I may examine him.  
"Not to mah knowledge," Engineer murmured. "If I see some place that looks like it has stocks a' gas left, I'll stop by. If we come across a safehouse, I might stop by, too, but I'd rather keep movin'."

“How long can ve keep driving?”  
"Pretty long. Made this engine myself. Gets, like, 100 miles to the gallon thanks to the magic of plot conveniences."

“Ah yes. Vhat vould ve do vitzhout zhem?” Medic smiled.  
Engie nodded. “You said it. The only problem with a car that runs well thanks t’plot conveniences is that it’ll always break down at the worst possible moment as determined by the authors,” he chuckled. “But until then? It’s smooth sailin’.” A wink.

“Don’t suppose you haff anyzhing to eat, do you?”  
"Yeah, but we've been rationing pretty tightly. Don't eat 'less you really need to. Got lots a' Medical supplies, tho."  
“I zhink all of us could really need to eat.” Medic nodded. “Nozhing but a granola bar each for zhe past two days.”

Engineer scratched his bearded chin. "Well, alright. There's some beef jerky, some smoked ham an' other cured meat, dried fruits, nuts, peanut butter, more granola bars, dry cereal, and Twinkies back there. Some oatmeal, too, but we don't have much fresh water to use it with that ain't for drinkin'. Try to lay off the meat stuff especially - it's mighty rare - but help yerself to everything else."

Medic nodded. “Scout, vill you grab somezhing for each of us? I don’t vant to move, and jostle Sniper about.”  
Scout nodded quietly, getting up to gather some things for him, Medic, and Heavy. Soldier was close enough to the back to not have to ask for his assistance, but didn't have much of an appetite.

Nico could have eaten, based solely on his stomach, but would have refused anything right now. He really wanted to be alone. He really, really did. Down on the floor, still curled up tightly in his own arms, he was mumbling something over and over again in French, trembling all the while. Soldier just sighed.

The other Spy glanced over. He patted Soldier's shoulder, startling the baffled man. "Don't worry -- ‘e's not babbling nonsense. ‘e's praying, _mon ami."_

_“…Comme nous pardonnons à ceux -- **Va te faire foutre** \-- à ceux qui nous ont offenses…”_ Nico mumbled from the floor.  
Spy just laughed. "I'm sure _He_ would take offense to zhat,” he remarked, pointing up at the ceiling to illustrate his point, “... But eh."

Nico looked up at the other Spy, eyes red. _“/Stop laughing at me/.”_ He spat in his native tongue. _“/I’m not weak. Prayer doesn’t make me weak. Fuck you. You don’t know anything./”_ He was still trembling with rage.  
_"/I never claimed you were weak or that prayer was weak. Nothing of the sort, my friend./"_

Nico paused, and then blushed when he realized the RED was right. _“/…Leave me alone/.”_ He turned away again. _“/And I’m not your ‘friend’. Stop calling me that/.”_

_"/Fair enough./"_ The man went back to staring out of the window.

Nico looked back up at the Engineer. _“/Can we please pull over? I don’t feel well/.”_ He asked, still in French.  
Engineer didn't quite get that Spy was talking to him.

"Laborer. Pull over, please. Nico feels ill."  
Engineer glanced behind himself using the rear view mirror, squinting.

Nico looked up at the Spy again, and then turned to Soldier. _“Est-ce que je…je parle en Anglais?”_ He asked, worried.  
Spy blinked, turning back to Nico. _"Eh... Non?"_

_“Je ne te demande pas!”_ He spat. _“Je lui demande!”_ Nico pointed to Soldier.  
"I... I don't understand...?" Soldier murmured with a wince.

The look on Nico’s face was absolutely crestfallen. _“Pour…pourquoi?”_ He exhaled. _“Je suis allee bien. Pourquoi pas maintenant?”_ He mumbled, curling in on himself again. _“S’il vous plait, se gare!”_ he called out to the Engineer again.

Spy just stared at him like he'd grown a second head. What the fuck was this kid’s deal? "Eh... Laborer, ‘e really wants you to pull over... Per’aps you could find someplace close for a nice restroom break, non?"  
A sigh from the Texan. "Fine."

_“… Merci.”_ Nico mumbled over to the RED.  
Spy just winked at him.

Nico flinched, and turned away immediately. Frightened, and uncomfortable he scooted back further against Soldier’s legs, clinging to the ankle of his pants with one hand.  
Spy just stared at him again, completely dumbfounded.

Soldier held the younger man tightly, similarly perplexed. "Shhh...Shhhh... It'll be okay..."  
Nico whined softly, holding onto his stomach with his free hand.

The truck rolled to a stop in a quiet alley that was closed off and hard for any other infected to get to. Engineer opened the door and sighed. "Alright, make it quick."

Shakily, Nico scooted to the open door, and slid down the ladder. He winced when his sprained ankle hit the ground, but paid it little mind. Limping, he slowly, but as briskly as he could, made his way around the corner.  
Soldier followed him to make sure he was alright.

Nico found a low trashcan, and fell to his knees in front of it. He coughed a few times before thin, watery bile fell from his lips.  
Soldier reached out hesitantly to rub the man's back tenderly.

Nico winced at first, but let him. It wasn’t really throwing up -- just more coughing, forced gagging, and spitting out the resulting bile. After a while, he just sat there, panting over the trash can.  
"What happened back there...?" Taylor asked quietly, concern showing plainly on his face.

_“J’ai…”_ Spy sighed. _“J’ai…fatigue.”_ He mimed sleeping. _“Je n’ai pas les idées claires…”_ he gestured to his head and did the ‘crazy’ sign. _“Je suis desole.”_ He apologized.  
Taylor shook his head. "You're not crazy... unless... You're saying that I am...?" Confusion.

_“Non…non…”_ Nico shook his head, and pointed to his head again. _“Ma tête, c’est seulement…”_ He gestured with his hands, creating some sort of tangled net with his fingers.  
"Oh... C'mon... Let's rinse out your mouth, huh?" Taylor still didn’t understand too well, but he knew that Spy still seemed to need his help, so he’d offer it.

_“Non, juste…une minute, okay?”_ He requested, turning away from Soldier, facing the brick wall.  
"Alright... I'll be over there if you need me..." Soldier walked off, keeping an ear and eye out for special infected like Hunters and Smokers as he rounded the corner.

Nico sighed, and brought his hand up to do the sign of the cross, before clasping his hands together in front of himself.  
A few minutes later, a long, thin form strolled over to him. _"Bonsoir,_ Nico. May we talk for a second?"

_“Seulement dans Francais.”_ Nico muttered, bitterly, before unclasping his hands.  
"Oh..." A chuckle from the taller RED. _"Oui."_ Spy spat out his wad of gum into the trash behind Nico and met his eyes with an intense gaze. _"/I haven't been very discreet, so I suppose I'll just go straight to the point, no?/"_

_“…/where is Soldier?/”_ Nico asked, suddenly uncomfortable.  
_"/Back with the others. But first, we must talk. Alone./"_ Suddenly, it was painfully obvious that there was no distance between them.

The junior of the two quickly scooted back, until he hit the wall. _“/What do you want/?”_ He spat.  
A chuckle. _"/Not much, I assure you. Quiet, now -- you'll call unwanted attention./"_ His voice almost -- ALMOST -- sounded threatening.  
_“/What do you want?/”_ Nico asked again, the fear evident in his voice.

_"/You know damn well what I want,/"_ the older man breathed, coming close again. _"/I want YOU. For my own. Everything from your figure to your vivacious nature is everything I have sought after./"_ He closed the gap, pulling their bodies close together, and breathing the soft words on Nico's ear. _"/I can show you pleasures you've never dreamed of, if only you'll let me.../"_

Nico shivered, but definitely not from delight. _“/Let go of me, or I will scream/.”_ He threatened.

_"/Not interested, I see./"_ A sigh. _"/I was afraid of that./"_ The man pulled away, smoothing out his crumpled, blood-crusted suit. _"/Nico, I am a gentleman first and a lover second. I would not defile my honor by taking what isn't mine. So if you wish for me to withdraw my affections, I will gladly do so./"_

_“/See that you do/.”_ Nico frowned, still trembling.  
_"/Really, do you have to look at me like that? You told me in no uncertain terms no, and I’ll make certain to heed your request. We are working together now -- there's no need to be so wary./"_

Nico just kept that frown on his face, and shakily got to his feet. He limped around the other Spy, giving himself a wide berth as he walked around the corner, back towards the others.  
Spy stared at the younger man's ass for a while, then gave a longing sigh and followed after him.

Nico limped his way towards the truck, and held his hand up for some assistance in climbing the ladder. Taylor grabbed it, having finished using the bathroom earlier, and pulled Nico up.

Nico scrambled back into the back seat where Soldier and he sat earlier, but this time took the window seat, so Taylor would be between him and the other Spy. Gentleman his ass. He’d seen the look in that dog’s eyes. Nico was still trembling a little as he watched the other Spy ascend the ladder.

Scout was leaning against a wall, groaning with relief as he relieved his strained bladder. He'd basically been holding it all day.

A few feet down, Medic was doing the same. Heavy had offered to let Medic go first, while he sat in the truck and held Sniper’s head steady. “Any port in a storm, ja?” he chuckled, gesturing to the scummy alley around them.

"Hmmm?" Scout murmured, looking up with exhaustion.  
“Never mind.” Medic chuckled, shaking his head. “Just vonce, zhough, I vould kill to have some indoor plumbing again.”

"Oh, yeah, man... Most def..." A sigh. "I'd love to have our old place back again, too... How's a guy supposed to get some private time with you, huh?" He meant for it to be funny, but he was too sad to laugh. "... I want Snipes back, man..."

Medic frowned, sadly. “I vill do vhat I can, Scout…Peter. I promise.” He zipped himself back up, and tried to give the boy a comforting smile.  
Peter nuzzled him gingerly, then zipped himself up with a sigh. "Yeah, well... Just in case, I'd better get my goodbyes out of the way, huh?" An uneasy smile.

Mertin just shook his head, and gave the boy a tight hug. “…I vill do vhat I can.” He repeated, with less resolve this time.  
"Doc, it's alright... I understand how things gotta be sometimes. I do."

“It might be…nozzhing. It might be nozzhing.” He explained. “Just some svelling. Vonce it goes down…zhen ve’ll see…zhen ve’ll see.”  
"Okay." The boy's voice was soft now. He sniffed for a second, clinging tightly to Medic.

“Come, Peter. Let’s get back to zhat…vhatever it is.” He gestured to the truck.  
A chuckle. "Kay, Doc... Uh... Mertin." A tired smile  
Medic smiled back, just as tired, and led the sad boy to the suped-up vehicle.


	39. Hypovolemia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the group stops for a quick rest to check on Sniper and regroup, Nico falls dangerously ill again. Help comes from an unlikely source...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I missed a week! Whoops! What can I say -- Pokemon Sword devoured my entire life for a bit. I might upload twice this week to make up for it, might not. It depends.

Spy's eyes roamed aimlessly around the vehicle as the small group continued, never once resting on Nico again. Soldier was clutching the younger Spy's hand in his own meaty paw and had drifted off asleep on his shoulder.

Nico was starting to feel pretty tired, too, but he was trying to look at the roads -- he was sure he’d driven down this one into the city once upon a time, but everything looked so different now. He’d discovered, after talking to Medic, that he was back in ‘English mode’ now. Scout’s phrasing. So at least that was one less thing to worry about.

Medic was up front, perusing one of the maps the Engineer had, trying to figure out potential rest spots. Heavy had taken over holding Sniper’s head in place, and Scout had fallen asleep somewhere near them. “How long until ve stop next?” the lumbering man asked quietly. The sun was beginning to rise slowly into the sky again.

Engineer yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Dunno -- not much longer, I'd imagine..."  
“Zhere is a motel up ahead, according to zhis map.” Mertin pointed to the paper. “Ve could see if it’s safe, und if it is, stay zhere until ve are rested.”

"I suppose so..." A sigh. "I have no idea where I'm going to leave Bessie May, though..."  
"What?" Heavy asked.

"......... Uh... The truck." A blush from the stout Texan.  
Medic just gaped, but Nico chuckled softly from the backseat, finding it rather amusing. Heavy, of course, understood. After all, he’d named his gun after a dear friend.

“Right, zhen…” Medic looked back down at the map. “Vell, first let’s see if zhe area’s even safe to stay in. Turn off here.” He pointed at the off-ramp up ahead.  
Engineer nodded and the vehicle swerved lovingly to the right, ramping over any car it came across.

The abandoned motel came in sight, and Scout roused when they came to a stop near it. Sniper was still unconscious, though. Nico shifted and shook Soldier awake gently.

There were stirrings from the surrounding buildings as zombies poked their heads out to see what the noise was about, growling softly.  
The motel wasn't free, but there was a nearby office building with a garage that was renovated into a safe haven. It was a tight squeeze, but the monster truck was able to squeeze in. Engineer was delighted.

“So…do we…sleep in zhe car?” Nico asked, sheepishly.  
"I sure as hell ain't..." Engineer sighed, cricking his neck as he opened his door. "See that pile a' blankets and such over there? That's where I'm headed. I love Bessie May, but Sometimes ya need your space, yanno?"

Nico nodded, but made no move to leave just yet. Soldier was still fast asleep on his shoulder, and he’d likely clog up the door by being slow, owing to his sprained ankle, anyway. Again, he tried shaking awake the great weight on his arm.

The little group filtered out little by little until only Soldier and the younger, BLU Spy left. Soldier stirred even more, then yawned. ".... Hey... we stopped...?"  
“Yes.” Nico answered. “Can you get off my arm? It ‘urts.”

"Sorry..." Soldier muttered, wiping the slobber off of the corner of his mouth and sitting up sleepily. "Where's everyone else? They didn't just leave us here, did they?"

“No, we stopped.” He rubbed at his arm where Soldier had been sleeping. “Zhe ozhers are just outside.”  
"Not in a safehouse or nothin?" More sleepiness.

“I zhink it’s a garage next to a ‘otel.” He stood, limping towards the door. “Are you coming?”  
"Yeah... Let's see if we can get that leg of yours fixed, too." Soldier followed him, yawning.

“I’m starting to zhink chopping it off would provide less of an ‘assle.” He chuckled, scooting down the ladder slowly, and carefully.  
"Ya think so?" Soldier asked, following behind the man with a blink.

Nico wobbled, wincing as he stepped onto the ground, and looked back at the descending Soldier with his eyebrow raised. “Zhat was a joke. Don’t cut my leg off.”  
"Oh. Roger that."

Nico looked back at him, eyes bleary from exhaustion. “You really are tired, aren’t you.”  
“A little. Being a leader is hard work.” The man caught up to Nico and went to support him.

“I can imagine. Zhank you.” He smiled, leaning against Taylor as he yawned too. “What’s my excuse, zhen?” He chuckled.  
"You're still recoverin'... Hell, I am, too. Hopefully this place has some grub so that we can stay here for a while and rest up." A pause. "Sniper needs it, too." A wince.

Spy paused. “I ‘ope ‘e will be okay.”  
Soldier hugged the man. "Couldn't imagine how I'd be if I lost you..." he murmured quietly, a blush staining his cheeks. He hoped he wasn't making Nico uncomfortable, but it needed to be said.

Under the balaclava that he was totally wearing this whole time because I just decided he was, Nico blushed a little too. “You’d…you’d be okay. I’m sure you would.”  
"Well... Maybe eventually, but... It'd be like losing the person closest to me..."

Nico paused, silent for a while. “…zhe ozzher Spy made a pass at me.” He said, quietly.  
"Good man. Did you catch it?"  
“Did I… what?” He looked over at him, confused.

"Soldier! Spy!" Scout shouted. "Medic needs ya over here! He's gotta keep an eye on you two!"  
“What for?” Nico asked as he limped over there, still leaning heavily on the other man.

"Gotta see how you're doing after those last rushes, yanno. The infected hit hard." The kid hopped away, checking out the area for food and other supplies.  
Nico sighed, leaning further against Soldier. “Don’t suppose you ‘ave zhe strength to carry me, do you?” He muttered, his face in the other man’s shoulder. He hadn’t realized just how tired he’d been.

Taylor shifted again, carrying the brunt of the man's weight on his good arm. "C'mon, now. Up n' at 'em, Private. I'll help ya as much as I can, but you gotta make the effort or we'll both fall."  
“Sorry…” He mumbled, lifting himself off Soldier a bit. “I just…I don’t feel well…” He looked down at the ground, focusing on evening his steps out as best he could.

"C'mon... C'mon, look at me..." the man sighed. "We can do this, alright? A few more steps... I'm here..."  
“I know…I know…” he panted, sinking closer to the ground with every step.

A sigh. "Heavy, little help over here?" Taylor called, unable to support both of them.  
Dimitri nodded and trotted over to lift the younger Spy easily.  
Nico mumbled softly when he was picked up, but that was the only sign that he was still awake.

Medic was working on fashioning a neck brace for Sniper, out of local materials. He saw Nico slumped against the other man, and just pointed to a pile of blankets, indicating where to put him.  
Dimitri nodded and placed the man gingerly, letting his foot poke out of the blankets so that Medic could observe it later.

The doctor went to check Nico’s face first, though. Gingerly, he peeled off the balaclava, and left it off to the side.  
Underneath, Nico had gone rather pale again. Medic checked his pulse, and sighed, shaking his head. “Vould anyvone happen to know zheir blood type?” He called out.

"O positive," the other Spy remarked casually.  
“Haff you lost any blood lately?”  
"Just take it already." A smile that was almost playful.

Medic frowned, and then gestured to the area beside the half-asleep BLU. “Sit, remove your jacket, and roll up your sleeve.” He instructed as he readied the tools for a transfusion.

Nico, meanwhile, just stared up at the other Spy, blinking to clear his vision, but to little avail. The swastika scar on his cheek was painfully evident now, but he lacked the mental process to feel shame over it and cover it up.  
The other Spy looked on with a deadpan expression to cover up his surprise and curiosity.

Medic readied the equipment, and cleaned both Spies' forearms before attaching them to the transfusion device. Spy’s blood began to flow into Nico’s veins, and Medic kept a close watch on it, before he went off to gather up some cleaning supplies for when he took out the device. Often, blood kept flowing.

"What. No juice and crackers?" the elder Spy chuckled.  
The older doctor smirked half-heartedly as he departed.

Nico lay there on the blanket, staring up at the other Spy, eyes flashing distrust.  
Spy sighed, relaxing slightly. "Still questioning my motives, Nico?"

“Can you really blame me?” He frowned. “You accosted me in an alleyway. Do you really expect me to believe zhat just because I said no, zhat you will stop?”  
Confusion as the man turned to him. "... Yes!"

Nico just frowned, not believing a word of it.  
Spy rolled his eyes and turned away. "Forget it. Believe what you want."

“Tell me your name.”  
"No."  
“Zhen consider yourself permanently distrusted.” Nico turned away to face the wall.  
"If zhat is what it would take to gain your trust, zhen I'm better off without it."

“Why are you so against it?” He turned back. “What do you ‘ave to lose? Really?”  
"It never ‘urts to be too careful in my situation."

“What is your ‘situation’, zhen?” Nico looked up at him, still wary, but genuinely curious.  
"I've made many foes zhroughout my life. I've ‘ad so many names, all zhat ignite such ‘ateful passions, zhat I refuse to even go by one anymore. I'm more comfortable with 'Spy' - a name - even one of my fake ones - might jolt a memory and stir up ‘atred. It's ‘appened before."

Nico shrugged. “I’ve made many enemies, too, you forget. But none of zhem are ‘ere. As far as we know, we may be zhe last eight people left alive on zhis planet.”  
"But you can never be sure, yes?" Spy insisted. "We know nozhing of ‘ow zhe other continents are fairing. Relaxing my standards ‘ere might ‘ave serious consequences if we some’ow find our way overseas again. I'm just being practical."  
“Fine.” Nico turned away again. “If you want to live zhe rest of your life wit your only companions distrusting you, zhen so be it. Zhat’s your choice.”

The man just shrugged and closed his eyes to rest.  
Medic came back a while later and unhooked the two. He bandaged both their arms, rechecked Nico’s vitals, propped his injured leg up on a burlap sack filled with scrap paper, and left.

“I suppose I should zhank you, zhen, for zhe blood, hein?” Nico finally asked.  
"Zhat would be nice, yes." A smile.  
“I’ll zhank you if you tell me your name.” He smirked back.  
Spy just rolled over.

“Well zhen at least where you’re from, how about?” He asked.  
"Deepest apologies, but I really cannot tell you anyzhing, mi amigo."

“Zhere’s zhe Spanish again. Is zhat a ‘int?” He looked over, still curious, but more tired now.  
"Get some rest, and maybe I will tell you later."

“I’m not sleeping until Soldier comes back.” Nico shook his head, but looked halfway there already.  
Another chuckle. "Well zhen, good luck..." A smile.

Nico frowned, his eyes already closed. “…why me, anyway?” He mumbled, sleepily.  
"Mmmm?" Spy turned to him, curious.  
“First zhe Soldier, now you. What zhe fuck is it about me all of a sudden zhat everyone seems to want to fuck?” He frowned, and rolled over a bit more, leaving his back to the other Spy.

Spy just shrugged and tried once more to take his nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The group is shacked up in another stronghold for now, but I promise it won't be for very long. Perhaps even shorter than the Church Arc at the beginning.


	40. Temptation (Semi-Explicit)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soldier finally gets to sleep with Spy.

Nico, despite what he’d said about wanting to wait for Soldier to return, fell asleep without him there anyway. He was just too damn tired to wait. His body desperately needed the rest. Soldier came back some time while Nico was sleeping. A sigh as he tenderly rubbed the man's back.

"... Taylor... Was it?"  
Soldier blinked, and looked up at the RED Spy, blinking. “Yeah… That’s me…”

“I zhought so. Nico speaks very well of you…”  
The man flushed, and glanced down. “Aw, damnit…” he mumbled shyly. He rubbed the man’s shoulder once more. “It ain’t anything special, really…”

“… Are you lovers?”  
“What?” Taylor looked up at the man in surprise.

“Are. You. Lovers?” Spy repeated again, looking into the man’s eyes.  
A wince. “No, of course not!”

“You obviously care about ‘im. And I doubt seriously zhat it’s all platonic. At least on your part.”  
Soldier glanced away. “Yeah, well… He ain’t interested in me. Don’t know why, but it ain’t important. We’re friends, is all.”

A nod. “… Taylor. Come over here for a moment, si vous plait.” He motioned the man over to his pile of blankets and pillows.  
“Why?” He followed along, anyway, curious as to what this could be about.  
A chuckle. “No questions. Just come,” Spy replied playfully. “I’m going to show you what you’ve likely been missing out on your whole life…”

Nico whined, softly, in his sleep when Soldier’s hand left his shoulder. He grasped for it, but found nothing there. “Taylor?” He mumbled, sleepily, hand still blinding searching for the other warm body.

Taylor didn’t notice. The RED Spy had waved him down to bunk on his blankets, murmuring softly in the man’s ear. Minutes later, clothing was stripped down from both parties with a confused and embarrassed Taylor underneath the older Spy. He continued to pour honey into the hapless man’s ear, moving their bodies together so that they both arched and gave quiet moans. They were far enough from Nico’s little fort of blankets. It wasn’t like he’d notice.

Gasps of pleasure, fumbling hands, murmurs of praise, and pleads for more. Spy couldn't have been happier, and, honestly, neither could have Taylor. They tried to keep it down so that they would not wake Nico, but Taylor was unwilling to leave Nico all by himself. For some reason, it felt… Too dangerous to risk.

Soft though the sounds were, they were still enough to rouse Nico. He buried his face in the blankets, trying to sleep again, but the sounds kept him up, though he didn’t know what they were. Irritated, he sat up, and looked over at the two coupling mere feet from him.

"Ah, say it, mon cher..." Spy murmured, nipping the husky man's neck. "Oh, say it... Haven't I been nice to you...?"

"Spy... Spy...! Oh, please, more, Spy... Ughnf...." Panting and ragged gasps as the man tried to be as quiet as possible. His cheeks were flushed and eyes screwed shut. "Oh, please... God, yes... More..."

Nico’s eyes were wide however, and his jaw dropped in sheer horror. Completely unable to comprehend the situation, his body did the only thing it could think of. 

It screamed.

The two jerked in shock and fear. Everyone who was asleep in the immediate area immediately grabbed their weapons and sleepily looked around for a threat. Taylor looked like a deer in the headlights.

Nico just sat there, screaming. Eventually it weakened, and petered off into a high, squeaking sort of sound. Then he just sat there, silent, his jaw dropped like he was still screaming, but no sound came out. Soldier tried to hide from him.

Heavy clomped over, growling. "What is noise?! I thought infected come and kill us all!"

The younger Frenchman, jaw still dropped, covered his head with his hands, and turned back into the blankets, away from the two. Heavy, piecing together the situation quickly, just stood there, stumped.

Medic and the Engineer rushed in from the other room, guns already drawn. He saw the two on the pile of blankets, and gave them a look of disgust. Engie just looked shocked.

Then Medic saw the pathetic trembling form on the blankets nearby, and went to him. He shook him, gently, and tried to bring him round with soft words and comforting caresses.

Soldier just whimpered quietly. He didn't let go of RED Spy, for fear he'd start clawing again at his own, deflating member. He began to cry silently, his head buried in Spy's shoulder. Spy just looked completely baffled. What the hell was going on?

Medic kept trying and trying, but nothing seemed to get through to the Spy. “Heavy? Bitte…” he pointed at Nico, and then pointed at the other room. Maybe it would do him some good to get him out of this one.  
A nod. Heavy picked up the man as best as he could, keeping him swaddled in the blankets.

Soldier just continued to hide from Medic's gaze.

Heavy, Medic, and Spy went off into the other room. Engie just stood there, however, absolutely dumbstruck. “… Somebody wanna tell me what in Sam Hill’s goin’ on? What’d you do to him?” He pointed towards the door, where the others had gone.

"Nozhing!" Spy cried, pissed off. "Soldier didn't want to leave ‘im be’ind so I took ‘im a few feet away and told ‘im to be quiet -- WHICH WE WERE -- and we began to make love like two responsible adults should be able to!"

“Then why in the hell was he screaming?”  
"How zee FAK should I know?!" Spy shot back, bristling with irritability. 

Soldier had quieted down now and seemed to be trying to smother himself with the pillows. Pissed, Spy rolled over, hips twitching with the lack of release.

“Well, then, how ‘bout you, Solly? You know what got him so upset?” Engie stood with his hands on his hips. “Quit tryin’ t’hide! I know you’re there.”

"I don't know..." came the muffled, fearful reply. "Medic's going to yell at me, though... He's going to strap me to the table and won't give me anything to eat, and he's going to stick things in my arms..." Flashbacks of his previous torment came back in full force. He didn't quite remember everything that had led up to those times -- just the feeling of loneliness and shame that followed. "What did I do..." he whimpered quietly, starting to sob again.

Medic came back in, quietly. He did not yell at Soldier, though. He just went to the Engineer. “Do ve haff any paper, or writing utensils?”  
Engineer raised an eyebrow. “Don’t think so. Why?”  
“Ve are…haffing a problem in communication again.” He looked over at Soldier, a worried look on his face.

Soldier didn't see him. He was too busy trying to bury himself even further. To make himself invisible. He knew Medic would blame him. He just knew it.

“Whadya mean?” Engie pressed.  
“…Nico has gone mute.” Medic replied, hesitantly. “Completely. Not like zhe ozher times-“  
“Other times? This has happened before?!” Engie looked over at Soldier. He must’ve known about this, right?

Soldier didn't respond. His throat tightened. Slight gasping.

Spy blinked. "I don't understand. ‘e said ‘imself zhat ‘e was not interested in me, nor Soldier, so we could not take comfort in each ozher wizhout ‘im ‘aving an... a... TEMPER tantrum?!" he snapped, coming close to throwing his own very soon.

“Zhis is no mere tantrum!” Medic spat. “Nico is…” He paused, not wanting to word it quite this way. “He is a very…in a very fragile state of mind. Zhings like zhis -- anyzhing zhat could upset him, zhey…vell, essentially zhey…break him.”

"Oh, Santo Cielo…” Spy sighed, rubbing his temples. "Zhis is ridiculous," he muttered, grabbing his pants and boxers. "Are we not to do ANYZHING in ‘is presence, zhen, to avoid damaging ‘is delicate psyche? Please, tell me Doctor." The man was annoyed. Very annoyed. Borderline angry.

“Vell, from now on, how about you refrain from fucking five feet from somevone who is on zhe border of mental instability?” He frowned.

"I told you! It was ‘IS idea!" The man motioned angrily towards Soldier. " ‘e wanted to make sure ‘e would be okay so ‘e wanted to stay wizhin eyeshot of ‘im!" He wanted to say _'They're BOTH crazy!',_ but he was rather fond of the burly, sexually repressed nutcase.

Retching sounds came from the other room, and Heavy called out for Medic’s help. The doctor sighed, and looked back at the Spy, shaking his head. “If his mutism is permanent, zhen it’s on your head, Spy.” With that, he slipped back into the other room, to help Heavy with Nico’s care.

Spy just rolled his eyes. Like hell it is... he thought.

Engie watched him go, and turned back to the two. “So…you two are uh…you’re…’buddies’, I guess now, huh?”  
"I suppose..." Spy sighed, itching for a cigarette.

Now that Spy wasn't yelling or fuming, they were much better suited to hear Soldier desperately wheezing for breath.

“What in tarn--Solly!” Engie ran over to rip the pillows and blankets away from the man’s reddened face. “Solly, can y’hear me? Speak t’me, pardner! Spah! Help!” He cried out, panicking.

Surprised, Spy went over to his 'buddy', and gasped, seeing that the man's lips were turning blue. Sudden calm. "Soldier... Soldier, look at me... Taylor. Look at me."

Panicked wheezing as the man turned his eyes up to Spy.

"Calm... okay? Shhh, calm... It's alright... It'll be okay... No one is upset wizh you... Calm... breathe..."  
"I...It's my fault..."  
"No, no, no... Just... breathe... That's it... Follow me..." A few deep breaths. Taylor did as Spy did, though his heart was still pounding. Color began to return to his face.

Engie swore under his breath, but started to calm down too. “What the hell just happened?” He whispered. “What’s wrong with him?”  
"Asthma, if I had to guess... Or perhaps just a panic attack."

“Should I git Medic?” Engineer jerked his thumb towards the door.  
"If you want... I zhink zhings are under control, zhough..." Spy sat with Taylor, and began rocking him and holding him close.

“Well, if you got it under control…” Another retch from beyond the doorway. “Sounds like Medic’s got his hands full as it is.”  
A nod.

Inside the room, Heavy held out a small metal pail while Nico retched into it. Some bile had come up earlier, but he was basically just coughing, gagging, and spitting now. Medic kept soothing, rubbing at his back, while he readied a syringe.

A soft knock. “Hey, uh... Doc...?” Engineer called softly. “Hate intrude, but, uh... oh lord, uh... When ya got time, could we talk?”

“Come in.” He waved the Engineer forward, and pushed the syringe into Nico’s arm without any complaint from the affected party. “In a few minutes I vill haff all zhe time in zhe vorld. Vhat is it zhat you vant?”  
"Well, uh... 'S about, uh... That Soldier fellah. Taylor, I think."

“Ja, ja. I haff ozher sedatives, do not vorry.” He laid the BLU Spy down on the blankets. The Frenchman was as limp as a ragdoll, though his eyes were still wide open and reddened. Heavy closed them shakily.

"Uh, well, actually, it's mostly under control... Had a panic attack, though, and couldn't breathe for a while. Was goin' blue an' everythin'!"  
“Ja, he’s had zhose before.” Medic nodded. “You’re sure he is alright now?”

"The other Spy fellah helped him calm down. Should be okay, but ya'll should go an' talk to 'im."  
“Perhaps later.” He double-checked on Nico’s vitals. “I vas razher rudely avakened, zhough, und I vould like to get back to sleep now, I zhink, unless zhis proves a problem for you?”  
A yawn. "Naw, get yer rest, Doc. Ah think it kin wait for now..."

“Gut.” He nodded, getting comfortable. “Heavy, vould you empty zhat?” He pointed to the pail. “Und check on Sniper vhile you’re up?”  
"Da, Doktor. Have good night."  
“You too, my friend.” He smiled, before settling down to sleep.

Peter was sitting beside Vince the whole time, refusing to move unless someone else was looking after the man. He held Sniper's hand gingerly, sighing. "Vince... If you can hear me in there... You're gonna be alright, okay?"  
Sniper sighed, softly, in his sleep, and his hand twitched ever so slightly in the Scout’s grasp.

"Wait... V...Vince?" the boy gasped.  
“Mmm…hnnn…” He mumbled, fingers twitching again.

"Vince?" Scout gasped, holding on firmly to his hand. "... Vince!"  
A few more mumbles, and Sniper’s eyelids twitched a little bit now, like he was trying to part them. His hand went slack, though.

"Shhh... Shhh, Vince, man, don't strain yourself... You were banged up somethin' fierce."

A soft sigh, one that sound almost irritated, and Sniper stopped twitching entirely. His breathing returned to normal, and he seemed to be asleep once more. It wasn't much, but it was something. Scout gathered pillows and blankets around the man and prepared to stay the night, making sure to watch over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while. You can start to see the rift between me and my partner start to get a bit fraught around this time. RED Spy was basically a way for me to vent my own frustrations with Nico while staying in character since he was still incredibly unlikable and needy to me and I felt like I wasn't being heard. Still, it's bad taste to do something like this, and I wouldn't recommend it -- specifically introducing a new, "improved" version of the character that's pissing you off so badly and having your character shack up with them instead. Don't do that.


	41. Vince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next day, Peter makes a startling discovery.

The sun began to rise, and Engie came up with it. Careful not to disturb the others from their respective slumbers, he relieved Heavy of his guard duty, and started to fry up some bacon for breakfast.

Scout's nose twitched. _Must... not... abandon... Vince... for bacon..._

“... Peter?”

At first, he thought it was the bacon calling out to him, but it didn’t take long for the boy to come to his senses. A grin. "Vince?" Peter smiled, rubbing the man's hand quietly.  
“P?” He rasped again, the fingers gently curling around the boy’s hand.

"Oh, thank GOD, man... We thought you were a goner!" The boy snuggled his friend lovingly, making sure not to jar his head.  
“What happened…?” He mumbled, his eyes half-opening.  
"Ya nearly broke yer neck somehow, is what."

Sniper was silent for a moment. “Issat why Oi can’t feel m’legs?”  
"......." Scout tried not to tear up. "... Y-Yeah... Probably..."

More silence, as Sniper tried to focus his gaze on Scout. “What’s on me neck?” He asked, referring to the wooden boards, duct tape, and blankets surrounding his head.  
"To keep ya from doin' more damage to yaself. Your neck looks pretty bad, man..."

“…’m Oi gonna be okay, d’y’know?”  
"No... We don't. Not for sure."

“Where’s Medic?” He asked, letting his eyes close again. The sunlight streaming in through a high window was a little too much for him.  
"Off helpin' Spy or somethin'. You want me to get 'im?"

“Nah. ‘s wrong with Spy?”  
"Dunno. There's somethin' always wrong with that guy." A chuckle.

Sniper chuckled back, softly, and then was silent for a bit. “…’s that bacon?”  
"Yeah. Sure is." A grin.

“Where’d we get bloody bacon, then?” He smiled fondly, his lids still pressed tightly together.  
“Have no fuckin' idea. I'm glad we did, though.”

“Me too.” Sniper smiled. “Be gladder if I was eatin’ it.”  
"I'll go get some, alright?" A grin as Scout hopped up.  
“Thanks, mate.” He smiled, opening his eyes a little again. “‘preciate it.”

Outside, Engie was still frying away, quickly silencing himself whenever he started to whistle.

"Hey, Hardhat, that smells great..." Scout sighed, moving closer.  
“Thanks, Stringbean.” He smiled, using a fork to put some on a paper plate. “How’s Vince doin?”  
"He's awake!" Excitement.  
“No shit?” Engie grinned. “That’s great. Got worried he’d be in one of them there comas, or made a cripple or somethin’, y’know? Glad t’hear he’s alright.”

Scout’s expression fell somewhat. "He... He says he can't move his legs, though..."  
Engie’s smile slowly fell, and he turned back to his bacon. “Y’all talked to Medic ‘bout that yet? Maybe it’s just th’swellin’?”

"I haven't yet, but he says he's hungry. I'll tell Doc after I feed 'im. Sounds like a plan?"  
“Sounds good t’me, partner.” He loaded up another plate with bacon. “Take one a’these t’Spy, too, will ya? The blue one, I mean. Not sure if he’ll eat it, but, well…there it is.”

"Why not the red one, huh?"  
“Haven’t seen him yet.” Engie replied. “Reckon he’s still asleep, like th’others. Medic and Spy are th’only two Ah’ve seen up and around.” A burnt piece was picked up, and Engie popped it into his mouth.

"Well, while I'm here, ya wanna tell me what the shit was going on last night?"  
“Well…” He chewed on the strip of meat, thoughtfully. “Not sure I rightly know. Guess Spy — Nico — guess he caught Solly and RED Spy goin’ at it, and it…upset him, or something. Partner hasn’t said a word since.”

"Wh...What? HUUUUH? Solly and the... The _RED_ Spy?" The boy asked, completely dumbfounded. "Dude, I was sure Solly was, like, in love with the BLU one or somethin'! Maybe he just has a thing for Spies..."

“Maybe.” Engie shrugged, handing him the plates. “One t'Nico, One t’Vince, and then you can come back and get yours. We got plenty.” He smiled.  
"Fuck, where'd it all COME from?!" the kid cried gleefully, looking at the huge stash.

“Found a pig a while back.” He answered. “Chopped him up real good. Been eating him for a while.”  
"Huh... How ya been preserving him?"

“Been keepin him in the freezer in the back of the truck.” He nodded, scooping some more bacon on there. “What’s left of him, anyway.”  
"Poor little guy." A shrug. "Oh well! be right back." The kid zoomed off to deliver the respective meals.

When he called out for Nico, he received no answer. Of course not. After some searching, he found the groggy Frenchman in the corner. He seemed completely out of it for the moment. Just staring at the wall, his arms winding the blanket tightly around himself.

"Hey, man." A gentle smile. "Brought some grub for ya, yeah? C'mon — eat."

Nico jerked in surprise, and looked up at the Scout. He noticed the bacon, then shook his head, and his lips moved as if he were trying to say something. Once he realized that no sound was coming out, he touched his fingers to his mouth, and sadly looked back down at the floor.

Scout just smiled and nudged the plate closer. "C'mon... Just a little bit? This has gotta be makin' ya hungry...."  
Nico shook his head again, and just whined softly, holding his stomach as if he was in pain.

A sigh. "Alright, man, I understand..." A pause. "I'll be right back. Gotta get everyone fed, then we can have a nice talk, yeah?"  
A soft scoffing noise was all that Nico deigned as a response.

"I'll get ya somethin' to write on. How's that?"  
Nico looked up, and nodded, gratefully.

After Scout made all his stops, he visited Sniper to get something in him. "Hey, man. Brought your food." A smile.  
“ ‘bout time.” He smiled, weakly. “Bloody hungry I am.” He paused, and his fingers twitched, trying to move. “…now how’m I ‘sposed t’eat it?”

"Well... I guess I can... feed it to ya?" A blush.  
“Guess.” He smiled up at the boy. “Come on then. Can feel meself getting’ thinner by the second.” He chuckled, hoping to ease the situation.

A laugh. "Alright, just hold up a second..." He ripped the strip he was holding into smaller chunks, then popped one into Sniper's mouth.  
“Mmmm…” Sniper moaned as he chewed, savoring the taste. “Bloody hell that’s the best bacon I’ve ever had.” He chuckled, opening his mouth for another piece.

Scout did it again, smiling gently. A laugh. "Ain't you afraid that this'll turn ya gay, hmmm?"  
“What? You feedin’me bacon?” He snorted, taking another piece, and chewing for a moment, before continuing. “If that’s wot it means t’be gay, P, then bloody hell, sign me up.” He grinned, eating another piece.

Another laugh. "Man, Vince... That's what I love 'bout cha. You can turn almost anything to a joke."  
“Ah, shut up and feed me summore bacon.” He laughed, opening his mouth for more. “Feels like I haven’t eaten in days.”  
Scout popped another piece into his mouth. "Probably cause ya haven't. Well... A day, at least."

“So where we at now, then?” He asked, chewing on the fatty part of the meat. “That truck ever come for us?”  
"Yeah, man. Made some new pals, too. A blue Engie and another Spy. This time red."

“How we ‘sposed to tell ‘em apart?” He frowned, in mid-chew. “When we call ‘em, I mean. Say ‘Spy’ and they both come runnin, y’know?”  
"Well... The blue Spy is called N...Nico...d… _somethin'._ But we call him Nico. Other Spy don't wanna tell his name yet."

“Nico, eh?” Another bite. “Interesting name.”

"Yeah."

"Solly likes 'im, though. The RED Spy, I mean. Apparently, they started bangin' while everyone was asleep, the BLU spy woke up, and freaked out again."

“… Ya wanna run that by me again?” Sniper swallowed the remaining bit of bacon in his mouth, hard.

"What?" A blink.

“Run that by me again. What the bloody hell happened last night?”  
"Uh... About Solly and RED? Yeah, they apparently really hit it off last night."

“I guess.” Sniper blinked, surprised. “Jeez, thought Solly and BLU’d be the ones t’go at it. They’re always cuddling and stuff, after all.”

"Dude, I know. But, yeah, Nico didn't like it much, either, and went screaming his head off about it until Medic came and took him away. I'm about to go talk to 'im." A pause. "Mind if I bring him here? Maybe being with the two of us will help 'im feel better."

“Sure, mate.” Sniper tried to nod, but for obvious reasons, couldn’t. “Go get ‘im. See if we can’t help him get over this mess.”

"Alrighty." Scout jumped to his feet and struck a confident pose. “Leave it to Petey!” He scampered off to get Nico as Sniper just gave an amused snort. 


	42. BLU and RED

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Spies enjoy two very different mornings.

Scout knocked on the nearby wall to announce his arrival. "Heya, Nico. How ya doin', huh? Just nod if you're doin' okay."  
Nico looked up, and then just looked back at the floor, turning his head sideways so it wouldn’t be mistaken for a nod. His untouched plate of bacon still sat near him.

"... Aw, dude... Alright. Well, uh. I was thinkin' maybe I could take you out to where Sniper is for a bit? I wanna keep an eye on him while we're talkin', since it might take a while."  
Again he looked up, and nodded once. Nico held his arm out, seeming to suggest that he needed help up.  
"Naw, man, it's alright. I'll piggy-back ya. Did it before."

A grin as Scout crouched forward with his back facing Nico so that the man could clamber up. Unsure, Nico crawled forward, and hauled himself onto Scout’s back. He was light - too light, really - but his weight didn’t go unnoticed, and his rib-bones stuck into Scout’s spine a little bit.

Scout just huffed and shrugged it off, lifting with his legs and trudging forward like a train of determination and MAN. But Nico held on for dear life, inwardly terrified that Scout would simply drop him on the ground.

Scout did a great job, actually, supporting Nico by looping his arms around his back and trudging along. He was a lot slower than Scouts should usually be, but it was understandable. They got to Sniper's little fortress in no time. Scout carefully kneeled down once again to let Nico dismount him, puffing.

Shaking a little, Nico climbed off of the Scout, and sat on the floor, wrapping his arms around himself again.

“Hey, mate. How ya doing?” Sniper smiled, and tried to turn to look at him, but had little success.  
Nico merely stared back, biting his lower lip slightly, and looked at the floor.  
"Not too good. Hold on while I get his food and somethin' for him to write on."

The boy dashed away, then came back with a pen and some paper and a plate of bacon. It was Nico's, but he was hoping that the BLU Spy would let him eat it, instead.

Nico held his hand out for the paper, ignoring the bacon entirely. Once it, and the pen were in his hand, he just sat there quietly, holding them.

"Tell us how ya feel, man." Scout sneaked a strip of bacon.  
Nico paused, then scribbled on the pad. “What do you mean?”

"What do I mean?" Scout read aloud for Sniper's sake. "Well, a good thing for copin', or whatever, is tellin' what's on your mind. Just any ol' thing. Just write what pops up in yer head - 'til we get the ball rollin', I mean."  
Another pause - a long one, and then he scribbled something on the pad, in very tiny writing. “I don’t like the other Spy.”

"Oh, you don't like the other Spy? Why not? Were you... jealous because of what happened with him an' Solly or somethin?" Scout asked, trying to keep his voice low and soothing.  
Nico shook his head, and wrote, “He made a pass at me, and then he goes after Soldier. He’s nothing but a lying, manipulative…” He paused before he wrote the last word, _“…slut.”_

Scout choked back a giggle at it. He read it aloud quietly, and paused, wondering if Sniper had anything to say.  
“Did he try to hurt you, Spy? Er, Nico?” Sniper asked, his expression serious and grave. He didn’t find anything funny about this at all.  
Nico wrote, “No, but he has made me feel very uncomfortable - even when we first met he was constantly touching me, and flirting with me. I don’t like it.”

Scout read it aloud. "Well, okay. So he's kinda eager for some.... pootang. That don't mean he's a bad person, or even a bad addition to our group. He looks like he can hold his own in a fight, that's for sure. Sides, maybe that's why he went to Solly. You weren't interested, he didn't want to bother you, so he went to the next best thing? I guess?"

Nico looked down at the ground, and put the pad on it. One hand came up to wipe at his eyes.

Scout gasped, and went to him. "... What's wrong...?" he asked softly. "What made you so upset about them... being together? Did you feel, uh... betrayed or somethin'? Didn't you and Solly... Uh... Weren't you two dating or somethin'?"

Nico just shook his head, and just wiped at his eyes.

"C'mon..." Scout pressured gently. "Talk to me, man..."  
Nico looked up at him with a frown, his eyes still wet and reading, _‘I can’t, you moron’_.  
Scout huffed. "You know what I mean." He nudged the pad closer, then paused to squeeze Nico's non-dominant hand gingerly. "Only if you're ready."

Nico paused, sniffling, before he took it back. “I don’t know what to say.” He wrote, hands trembling ever-so-slightly.  
"Just tell me how it made you feel..." Scout urged gingerly. "Did you... have feelin's for Soldier? Did you feel like the other spy took 'im away from ya?"

More scribbling. “I am not in love with Soldier, but yes, I feel like this new Spy has taken him away from me - or is trying to, at least.”

A nod. "So, uh... now I feel like I have to ask. Most people ,when they get upset about stuff like this, they cry or get angry or... something. They express themselves, yanno? And your reaction was to... start screaming? Why was that? Specifically, why'd you scream _like that?_ And stop talking? And puke everywhere? I mean, I guess I just feel like there's more to the story, yanno? The feelings you just described to me and the reaction you had... They just don't add up, man."

Nico paused, and simply wrote, “I don’t know.” The look on his face was lost, and confused. He genuinely didn’t know why he hadn’t cried, or gotten angry, or why he screamed and got sick, and then went mute. He really wasn’t sure. And it scared him.  
Scout squirmed nervously. "Ya don't know, huh? Was afraid of that..."

Nico just looked down at the floor again, placing the pad and the pen near his legs. He wrote a scribbled _‘I’m sorry’_, before he turned away from the two entirely.  
"Aw, man..." A gentle hug from behind, and a smile. "Don't be sorry. We're just tryin' to help you figure yer own stuff out so you can be better off, yanno? No problem."  
“Yeah, no worries, mate.” Sniper smiled over at Nico as best he could. “We’re here for ya. Remember that.”

Nico nodded, and hiccupped a little choked crying sound, before he held onto Scout’s arms tightly, like he didn’t want him to let go.

Scout just grinned uncomfortably, but hugged back.

Nico’s sobbing tremors could be felt through his thin frame as he desperately clutched at the runner’s forearms.  
  


* * *

  
A few rooms away, RED Spy woke up, feeling pretty relieved and cheery. Last night's interruption was annoying to be sure, but he had convinced Soldier to calm down and finish the job. It was the first good release he'd had in WEEKS, and boy, was he glad for it. Taylor was sleeping close to him, cuddling against the RED Spy much as he did Nico. Raising an eyebrow, Spy pulled himself away from the clingy man, put on some pants, and went to investigate that beautiful smell.

Engie was there by the truck, still frying away. He’d brought out some of the granola bars, too, in case bacon wasn’t enough for some of the hungrier former mercenaries. He saw Spy approach, and waved, with a small - very small - smile. “Howdy. Finally up are ya?”

A sated smile. "Indeed I am. May I just say zhat what you are cooking smells absolutely delectable? May I have a piece?" A grin.  
“Reckon.” Engie nodded, sliding a plate toward him. “… Listen, about last night-“  
"Yes, Engineer?" Spy asked, batting his eyelids in an exaggerated way. "Oh, apologies - did you want an invitation?" A smirk.

Engie frowned. “Now you know Ah ain’t into that sorta thing, Spah. Tried that on me th’first time. How’d that work out for ya?” he snarled, turning back to his bacon. “Wanted t’talk to ya ‘bout that other Spy.”  
"It was just a joke, lighten up, Laborer." He bit into the first strip. "Yes? What about him?"

“Well…he seems real upset ‘bout you and Solly…doing _that…_” Another plate was loaded up, for Heavy, wherever he was. “ ‘m thinkin’ maybe th’two of ‘em are sorta…seein’ each other, y’know? Don’t think it’s right for you t’split ‘em up like that.”  
"He commented that he desired neither of us."  
“People lie, Spy.” Engie looked up at him, plainly. “You of all people should know that.”

"Oh, Engineer! How very terrible of you to insinuate!" Spy batted his eyelashes innocently. "Have I _ever_ lied to you, mi amigo?"  
“Just ‘cause I ain’t caught you at it don’t mean you ain’t done it.” He frowned, and turned off the hotplate. “I think you should apologize to Nico.”

"Why? For simply relieving myself? And for relieving the pain of the Soldier as well? What do I have to apologise about?" A frown.  
“For hurting him. Whatever you did hurt him somethin’ fierce and you know it.” He picked up the last plate, and started eating it himself. “Now go make it right or so help me, I’ll make you give that bacon back.” He pointed, threateningly at the other man’s stomach.  
Spy sighed and rolled his eyes. "Honestly... I thought we were all adults here! But if you insist, fine. I will go apologise to Little Nico for hurting his feelings and deflowering his pretend-boyfriend. Okay?"

Engie looked at him, lips pressed in a tight frown. “Now don’t you go in there with that attitude. You’re only gonna make it worse. Treat him like a goddang person, y’hear? Not like some animal, or a crazy person or something.”  
"But he IS a crazy person!" Spy insisted. "Of course I'd never tell him, but..." A sigh. "Oh, _alright._ You're right about one thing. The wrong kind of attitude will certainly make things worse, and I certainly don't want that."

“Don’t think any of us do. Things are hard enough ‘round here without us making ‘em worse for each other, y’git me?” He looked up from his bacon.  
"Yeah. But I think it'd be a lot easier for us if we were to... say... 'cut our losses'. Just a thought."

Engie went still and looked up at Spy with a stern look that said ‘No way in hell’.  
Spy just rolled his eyes. "Fine. No need to be so... melodramatic."

“Just behave yourself, Spah.” He ordered. “We don’t know what these fellers've been through. Mighta been rougher than us, y’know? Just…be nice to ‘em. ALL of ‘em.”  
Spy nodded. "Yes, I understand. It's just... so EASY to toy with them! I'll behave myself, but surely they can take some minor cajoling, yes?"

“NO.” Engie ordered, waggling his finger in Spy’s face now. “Now you listen t’me, and listen good. You’re to be on your best behaviour round this bunch. No teasing ‘em, no flirtin’ with ‘em, and no pressin’ a knife against their throat, y’hear?”  
Spy sneered. "Fine... But I can't even sleep with Soldier? When he consented?"

The Texan paused, and sighed. “If those two are…are somethin’, then I don’t think it’s right, but…I just don’t know.” He shook his head. “I can’t stop ya from doin’ what you want, short of tying you to the truck, but if’n ya do…do it…at least be more discreet ‘bout it, okay? Like, go to th’other room or somethin’.” He paused, and then added, “And don’t go about gettin’ nothin’ on my car seats, y’got that?”

A laugh. "Oh, you have my word."  
“Good. Now git t’apologizin’.” He jerked his head towards the other room.  
A sigh. "Fine..."


	43. Nico

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RED Spy comes to Nico with a very serious request. Then, things go sour at dinner as passions ignite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to post a few chapters in one day because I kinda just want this monolith to be done already. I might stop here tonight or I might post one or two or even three more. Idk.

In the back room, Scout was talking with Sniper about what they were going to do first when they reached ‘paradise’. "And I'm gonna make Medic wear a speedo ALL THE TIME, because the guy has a MAD sexy body, and I wanna show it off, yanno? And I'm never wearing a shirt AGAIN! I mean, look at me! It's a freakin' travesty that the world's gotta miss out on the full sexiness of my abs!"

Sniper just chuckled. Nico sat there, in the corner, curled up in himself, and smiled politely. When he saw the other Spy approach, he looked down at the floor, and curled up further.

"No, no, no..." Spy chided softly. "None of zhis, please. I am not 'ere to make you feel uncomfortable, mon ami."  
Nico glanced up at him, quickly, frowning, and looked back down again. The look on his face said _‘Yeah right’._

"It's true," Spy defended, sternly, but gently. "I only came to apologize. I didn't know zhat you had such strong feelings for Taylor, but I 'eard you say you did not wish to return 'is attention. Taylor and I... are both men. With needs, you see. You asked me not to focus on you, and I respected your request. But I did not wish to alienate you further by romancing Taylor."

Nico went to his pad of paper, and found the page from earlier that read ‘I am not in love with Soldier.’ He held it up for the other man to see.  
"Yes, I gathered as much. But, regardless, you _do_ seem to 'arbor strong feelings for 'im. So, let me ask you as someone very close to Taylor. Do I 'ave your permission to continue seeing 'im?" This was probably the gravest Nico had seen the man.

But he didn’t care. He didn’t trust the other Spy - not one bit. With a frown, he looked down at the floor.

"..." An uncomfortable chuckle. "I...Is zhat a yes...?"  
Nico turned away and wiped at his eyes, without giving any sort of real response.

Spy tried to be patient. "Nico, please. Zhis is important to me."  
Nico’s small frame started to shudder, and he hiccuped a few times. Still he wouldn’t turn around and answer the Spy in any real capacity.

At a loss, Spy looked at the men on the ground helplessly.  
Scout just stared up at him, munching on the last strip of bacon, as Sniper stared up aimlessly at the ceiling. The silence was almost painful.

"Why do you hate me?" Spy mumbled, backing out of the room. "Zhis isn't right... Regardless, I will 'eed your wishes." The acid on his tongue was obvious, even as he tried to hide it. Infuriated, he stormed off to make good on his promise.

Nico could practically feel the hate from the other man perforate his skin. He waited until he was sure he’d gone, before he scribbled a note and handed it to Scout. “I need to see Soldier.”

Scout nodded and hopped back in 'position'. "Need a lift?"  
Nico nodded, and slowly climbed back onto the boy’s back, still holding tightly to his pad of paper.

Scout lifted the man, muttering his goodbye to Sniper, and began trudging off to where Soldier was.

However, RED Spy was already there with him by the time the duo had tracked them down. Scout ducked out of sight before the man could catch on, and held still to listen.  
Nico craned his head so he could hear better. He, too, was curious about what Spy was doing.

"But... Why not?" Soldier asked softly, obviously trying his best not to break into a fit of despair at the very moment.  
"It doesn't matter why, I'm afraid. Knowing zhe cause won't make zhe effect go away. Just know it is permanent until furzher notice. I'm sorry."

"But I... I really liked you..." Soldier muttered, voice breaking. "You liked it, too, right? Why are you doing this?"  
"I'm sorry, my friend. I 'ope zhings will change for the better." He hugged the man gingerly. Usually, Spy didn’t allow anyone to see him vulnerable, but… It seemed okay while he was with Soldier. "I am... very lonely, too."

A strained silence followed.

"Goodbye, Taylor. 'opefully, zhis is not zhe last time we will speak like zhis." Spy nodded as he pulled away, and strode off, feeling defeated and bitter. He would tell the Engineer about what happened. How his genius fucking idea had paid off.  
Soldier sat there for a moment, sick with despair. What had he done this time?

Nico sighed, and tapped Scout on the shoulder, gesturing for him to go forward, to Soldier.  
Scout scooted forward. "Hey, man. Got a visitor."  
Nico waved at him, unsure.

Soldier examined them with bleary eyes. "It was Medic who took him from me, wasn't it?" he sniffled. "He takes everyone away, and then he ties me down so that I can never get away and I'm lonely!"

The Frenchman shook his head, and climbed down off of Scout’s back. Slowly, he limped over to Soldier, scribbled on the pad, and held it out for him. “This is my fault. I was being selfish, and it ended up hurting you. I am sorry.”

Soldier examined it for a long time, shaking. "Wh...Why would you want to take him from me?" he asked bitterly. "You never wanted me... You never wanted me!" Tears streamed from his face. "Well, you did, but... Not the way I..." A gulp. "Y...You wanted a glorified blanket, not someone who would... Who would be with you like... a partner!" The pain was tangible.

Nico blinked back his own tears, and merely underlined the ‘I am sorry’ over and over again.

A sniffle. "Nico, I... I don't want to be lonely... I like you a lot, but you'll never like me the same way, and... And the other Spy will. Why do you not want us to lo... like each other?" A gasp and sudden hopefulness. "Did you realize you liked me a-as a partner, after all?"

The Frenchman just looked up at him. He wanted to tell him yes, but…he just couldn’t. Instead, he looked down at the floor, and shook his head. Silent, he scribbled on the pad again, and held it out. “Go be with him.”

A sudden frenzy. "NO!" Soldier suddenly hugged the man tightly to him, overcome with grief. "NO! I want you! Why don't you like me?! What do I have to do?!"

Nico sobbed in Soldier’s shoulder as he wrote. “There is nothing you can do. Nothing anyone can. I’m just…” he hesitated, hiccuping into the other man’s collarbone. “…broken inside.”  
"I want to fix it... We can do it together." Desperation. "Just trust me... I don't want to leave you... never. Ever!"  
“IT CAN’T BE FIXED.” He scribbled, angry tears staining the paper. “Just go be with him. I’ve caused you nothing but trouble since we met. Be with him. You deserve to be happy.”

Soldier shoved the man away, sobbing as well, and ran to catch the other Spy.

Nico lied there on the floor, a sobbing mess. Slowly, he began to calm down, but he didn’t move a muscle from the spot. One would think that the shove had killed him or something. But no. No such luck.

Scout just shook his head. "Hey, man... I... I know it's rough, but..." A long pause. "I... I guess even Soldier can take so much, huh?"

No response, outside of the heavy, shuddering breaths from the lifeless form on the floor.  
Scout patted him on the shoulder. “You gonna be okay, man?”

Slowly, Nico sat up, and just stared off into the distance, eyes unfocused. “…I will be fine.” He spoke, much to Scout’s surprise, and nodded, dully.  
"Uh... Alright, then..." Scout backed off, brow furrowed with confusion. "Later...”  
“Later.” Spy repeated, as he made his way to his feet, and slowly limped his way into the back room where he’d been staying.

Scout jogged off to find Medic and warn him to keep an eye on the man - he was acting weird again. Then he went off to keep Sniper company.  
“How’d things go, mate?” Sniper asked when he saw Scout approach. “Where’s Spy?”

"Uh... Restin' up, I think..." A shrug. “It... didn't go too well."  
“Yeah?” Sniper pressed. “What happened?”

"Uh, well, we heard the RED Spy tellin' Solly how they couldn't be together anymore, and how upset Solly was because of it. So Nico changes 'is mind after the RED Spy leaves and tells Solly that he was the one who wanted them to break up, but that he's sorry and that he shouldn't have. And Solly just got really mad." A pause and an uncomfortable squirm. "I... I don't think they're friends anymore, man. Like _at all..."_

“Bloody hell…” Sniper sighed. “Well…maybe they’ll make up soon, aye?” He blinked up at Scout, bags already starting to form under his eyes.  
Scout sighed and kicked back, thinking. "Who knows? Not like Nico's ever done anything for Solly, right? He was kind of a bummer to always be around." A shrug. "At least with the other Spy, he's gettin' laid."

“Yeah, but…” Sniper trailed off and yawned, “Can we talk ‘bout this later, mate? ‘m bloody tired.”  
"Yeah, yeah. Rest up." A smile as Scout tucked the man in.

* * *

Hours passed, and soon Engie called everyone out to come and get dinner. More bacon, and some dry cereal. Not gourmet, but pretty tasty, at least. Everyone gathered around the cooking area (except Sniper, for obvious reasons), and even Nico limped his way in, silently taking his own portion to the corner to eat.

Soldier was ignoring him stoically, pouting and tearing into his meal with a bitter sort of ferociousness. The RED Spy just looked... inconvenienced.

Engie took a plate into Sniper’s room, passing by Medic who had just come out for his own. The German scientist picked it up, and sat near Soldier. “Good evening,” came the cordial greeting.

Soldier shot him a look of panic and scooted away - towards RED Spy. The man looked a little annoyed.  
“Soldier? Vhat is wrong?” Medic asked, popping a handful of cereal into his mouth.  
"S...Stay away from me..." the man muttered, trying to hide his eyes under his hat. "I didn't do nothin'..."

Medic frowned, and stayed where he was, eating his dinner. “And how are you, Spy?” He asked, politely.  
"Just grand, thank you." The polite smile was returned in full as he popped a few flakes into his mouth and suckled on them until they were soft.

A thin strip of bacon was chewed on, thoughtfully. “I take it, since Nico is sitting all by himself in the corner, that you have chosen to essentially abandon him, and shut him out, is zhat right?”  
"Me?" Spy asked, surprised. Soldier just glowered at his plate, grinding his teeth together loudly.

“Vell, zhe bozh of you, really.” Medic took another bite. “Soldier abandoning him, you shutting him out, keeping him away from your…relationship. Is zhat how zhings are?”  
"NO," Soldier snarled angrily. "HE abandoned ME. He never wanted me in the FIRST place!" he growled, hands shaking in rage, clenching and unclenching uncontrollably. "I don't care if he cries or some shit or if you tie me down to a table without food and stick me in my arm for WEEKS - I'm not going back to that! To HIM."

Medic remained calm. “You know, Soldier, vhen you vere undergoing your… _ordeal,_ Nico put aside his discomfort for your sake.” He picked up his plate, and stood. “I vould have zhought you vere a good enough man to return zhe favor.”  
"I would." Soldier’s voice broke. “I would have done anything for him… I tried to be there for him. Be _a friend._ But I need something that he won't give me.” A pause. “Or maybe... can't. I don't care. The result is the same. We're just... not stable together.” He went back to staring at his plate, choking back sobs.

“So you are villing to let him just sit over zhere, stewing in his own depression, because he von’t put out?” Medic shook his head. “You disappoint me, Soldier. I zhought you vere better zhan zhat.”

_Something snapped._

Soldier suddenly threw aside his plate and leapt on Medic, screaming himself hoarse and choking the life out of the older man. "Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" he screamed, shaking the man's neck viciously. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! _SHUT UP!!!"_

Screaming and clamor. Heavy sprung to his feet and attempted to pull Soldier off, and then tried to pry loose his fingers, all to no avail. The man had hell's fire in his eyes.

Nico put aside his own plate, and came over as quickly as he could. “Soldier-Taylor! Stop zhis! Let ‘im go!” He joined Heavy’s efforts in prying the fingers off of Medic’s neck.

Soldier sneered at him, eyes full of hurt and anger and... panic. But then, he looked back at Medic, as if having some sort of realization, and released the man's neck with trembling hands. He left behind large, purple bruises where his fingers had been.

Heavy jerked Soldier away and forced him to the ground, tugging the man's arms behind his back, ignoring Soldier's screaming and sobbing and thrashing. RED Spy was just looking at the whole scene with wide-eyed confusion and a hint of fright.

Nico turned to Spy, panting with eyes wide with panic. “What ‘appened? Why did ‘e do zhat?”  
"I.... I don't know! If I were zhe old fool, I would 'ave stopped while I was ahead!"

“What do you mean?” Nico asked, his eyebrows furrowed.  
"You couldn't see zhe signs of stress?! But ‘e kept pushing ‘im!"

Scout was by Medic's side, clutching the man close. Coughing and gasping for breath, Medic clung to Scout, as tightly as he could. He said a few choice swear words in his native German as he regained his breath. Scout cradled him close, crooning softly and stroking his hair. He'd never thought of Solder as dangerous before, but with that kind of behavior...

Meanwhile, Soldier was being dragged off by Heavy to another section of the garage, screaming and kicking the whole way. With a determined frown, Nico followed after them.

Spy decided to check on Taylor, too. He didn't trust that Nico.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can start to see the rifts starting to show between Izzy and me here on the topic of how tf to treat Nico. Her characters keep pushing the idea that Nico should be given another chance, and while I wanted it to happen, I felt I wasn't being given enough to work with. It just seemed unhealthy at the core. 
> 
> Nico kept getting up and hurting himself because of his pride, which would make Taylor melt down and, since he wasn't ever fully sane to start with, assume that he needed to always be around Nico to stop him from getting hurt further. So that would turn into unhealthy attachment issues a mile wide, and when the group gave him an intervention to make him see his behavior was harmful to Nico, he stopped, only for Nico to become reliant on him again. Taylor hooks up with RED Spy, which is huge for him, seeing as he was frightfully repressed for 99% of his life, to the point where he mutilated himself when he found out he was attracted to Nico. But even that gets taken away from him by Nico, who has made it extremely clear that they'd never have a chance together. So at that point I was REALLY beginning to feel frustrated and like... Bro, I love you, but I literally don't know what you want from me or my character at this point.
> 
> Again, I think Izzy is a great person and amazing writer. I can't make that clear enough. I appreciate all that she did for the plot, and tbh, the only reason I can upload it to AO3 is because of how great of a record keeper she was. Again, all of this was done on STEAM. Not Skype and idk if Discord I was around back in 2012, but not that either. And Steam IM doesn't record logs. Besides that, she played half of the other characters flawlessly. So this is as much her baby as mine. 
> 
> That being said, Nico was a huge source of contention between the two of us, and unfortunately it doesn't resolve for a few more chapters after this. After that all gets squared away, though, we're back on the road again for what will effectively become the last stretch of the story. Hope you're enjoying it so far.


	44. C’est Quoi, L’amour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico and RED Spy try to negotiate a way for Taylor to stay with the group, with varying degrees of success. Scout and Engie share a moment chatting about the future.

“ ‘eavy!” Nico called out, rushing after the two as best he could. “ ‘eavy, wait!”  
"NYET!" the man snapped. "Is too much! Soldier is NOT to be around people anymore!"

Soldier was silent with terror by this point. Being by himself with no one to cling to while his world had been upheaved by that damned, sadistic German son of a bitch… He sobbed again with fright, trying feebly to break away.

“Let me speak wizh ‘im, please!” Nico protested, panting as he limped ahead faster.  
"I ‘ave a better idea," the RED Spy said, easily striding past Nico. “Let ME talk to ‘im.”

Heavy growled softly. "Is too much talking and not enough doing! This is DANGEROUS man!"  
“I don’t care!” Nico cried out, grabbing onto the other Spy to give himself some more speed. “Let me speak wizh ‘im! NOW!” He ordered, much angrier than Heavy had ever seen him.  
Spy gave a guarded glance at Nico, then looked back at Heavy.

The large Russian huffed and threw Soldier roughly to the ground. "You may talk. But I will be here to make sure is no more hurting. You may not get any closer than where you are now. These are rules, yes?"  
“Agreed,” RED Spy replied, nodding. He couldn’t imagine his companion protesting the rules, either.

Soldier seemed to have limbs made of lead as he dragged himself up to a sitting position. He hunched over so that his face was hidden.  
“Soldier.” Nico called out. “Soldier… _Taylor,_ look at me.” He clung half to the wall, half to the other Spy, as he tried to remain standing on his good leg.

"No..." the man mumbled, staring at his boots.  
"HE SAYS NO!" Heavy called, still pissed.

Nico sighed. “Fine, zhen. Just listen!” He shouted across the room. “…you can do it. You can ‘ave sex wizh me, I don’t care. If zhat’s what it will take to get you to snap out of zhis, zhen fine! Come over ‘ere and do it right now!”

_"NO!"_ Soldier roared, slamming his fist on the pavement. "If you don't want me, it DOESN'T EVEN FUCKING MATTER! I'm not a goddamn RAPIST! I want someone to love and hold, and you... I don't know WHAT the hell YOU want, but it's not what I do! Not by a long shot!" he screamed.

Nico, gasped, somewhat shocked by what he was saying, but Taylor continued. "GO AWAY! If you really want what's best for me you'll go away and wait until... Until I'm READY to talk to you again! _I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE!"_

Nico paused. He felt the tears start to form at the corners of his eyes. “Fine.” He declared, flatly, “I will go away, if zhat’s what you want.” He nodded. “I won’t ever bozher you again.” He turned, and began his limping trek back down the hallway.

There was a pause. “I’m sorry.” He called out, as his parting words. "For everyzhing."  
Soldier's lower lip trembled and he buried his face in his hands, sobbing quietly. He seemed to melt. "I'm... sorry, too... For this."

_But I have to... I want to be truly happy._

* * *

Medic was being tucked in next to Sniper. "C'mon, Doc... Get some sleep for now - you need it, alright?" Scout murmured soothingly, nuzzling the man.  
Medic smiled up at him, weakly, before he dozed off.

Swallowing back the sobs that threatened to form, Nico strode down the hallway, past Scout and his little group of patients, staring straight ahead. He didn’t want to focus on anything or anyone right now. His goal was to get back to his room, and stay there until he felt ready to come out. Might take a while.

"H...Hey!" Scout leapt up after him, eyes wide with concern. "Nico, man? You doing okay?"  
Nico halted in his steps, but didn’t look back. With a gulp, he nodded, and replied, “I’m fine. What do you want?”

"What happened back there, man?!" he cried. "I never seen Solly--Taylor--like that before! What's Heavy gonna to with 'im? What's Solly gonna do to US?!"  
Nico shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t care anymore.” He continued on his path.

"You ain't gonna say nothin'?!" Scout squealed, his voice reaching a positively IRRITATING pitch and volume.  
The BLU Spy paused, and sighed. “What do you want me to say? Zhings are really fucked up right now, and I’m zhe cause of it all, and I just want to…I don’t know what I want.” He sighed again. “…I don’t know what I want.” Just like Taylor had said.

"How about..." Scout said in a low voice and a weird amount of calm, "you slow down... relax a little... And stay out here - with us - where me an' Engie can see ya, huh? You don't gotta talk or nothin' - I just don't want ya goin' off by yourself."  
“Why not?” He asked, still not facing Scout.  
"Because there's safety in numbers."

Good answer. Sounded better than, _"I'm afraid you'll go nuts and try to off yourself."_

“And misery loves company, I suppose.” Nico turned to Scout. His eyes were red, but his cheeks clear of any tears. He wouldn’t let them fall. Not anymore. “Fine. I’ll stay out ‘ere.”  
"Good deal, man," Scout said with a sigh of relief. He patted the man's back and led him back to the resting areas.

Once Nico was laying down, he went over to Engineer's side, sat, and sighed. _"Fuck,_ man - what a day."  
“You said it, son.” He nodded, with a sigh. “Never saw the like of it. Ah tell ya, Ah’m almost regrettin’ takin’ the bunch a ya in.”

Scout shot the man a look of terror. "I... W...We're sorry, man - I know we're a lot of trouble to ya, probably, but, uh, we'll make it up to ya, we promise!" he babbled out with increasing speed. It suddenly became obvious that Engineer could take off and leave them all stranded there if he so chose.

“Now settle down, settle down.” He chuckled. “Ah just meant that y’all are quite a handful. Didn’t mean I’d leave ya in the middle of nowhere or somethin’. Don’t gotta worry ‘bout that.”  
"All right... Well, uh... I'm STILL gonna make it up to ya!" Scout cried, grinning. "Ya got my word, Hardhat!" He stuck out his hand.

Engie chuckled, and shook it. “Much obliged, Peter.” He leaned back on his crate, and looked up, through the boarded up window, at the waning sun. “Reckon we’d best be off tomorrow, if’n Medic says it’s all right t’move Sniper.”

"Tomorrow? Really?" Scout asked. "Ya sure? Well, I guess it WOULD be better to get out to safety as quick as possible, huh?" A pause. "We ever tell ya what our plan is, yet?"  
“Don’t reckon y’have.”

"AWWWWW, dude! Lemme tell ya, it is SWEET!" Scout scooched closer, grinning as if he were going to share a juicy secret or a dirty story.  
“Alrighty…” Engie smiled, unsure, and leaned in closer, too.

"So, Solly heard about this place, right? Called the Florida keys. Just off the mainland, but still too far to swim - specially with currents and all that shit. Apparently that's a place where all survivors are goin' to wait this whole thing out! It's warm year round, we can survive on fish n' pineapples n' shit, and use boats to go back and pick up any supplies we might need! Fuckin' AWESOME, right?" A wide grin. "AND, it's run completely by survivors! No army or nothin'!”

“…Solly told y’all that, did he?” Engie seemed far less enthusiastic.  
"Yeah, he did!" a grin.

_“Solly._ The man who just tried t’strangle Medic and had to be dragged off kickin’ and screaming.”  
"This was before all that, yanno? When he was.... Yanno… Sane. ... _er._ Saner."

A pause.

Suddenly the boy was angry and defensive. He punched Engineer’s arm - not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to show he meant BUSINEES. "You gotta better idea, hardhat?!"

Engie just looked at him, unimpressed, shrugging off the jab like it was a mosquito bite. “Yeah, Ah do. ‘s called ‘Canada’.”  
_"Canada?!_ The fuck we gonna do there?! It's cold as tits, and we'd have to get OUTSIDE for the winter and get food - which may or may not exist - and we don't got a way to deal with the snow, AND we'd have to drive through the heart of the infection to get there! Why the hell even bother???"

Engie paused. “Got family up there.” Was all he said.  
A soft gulp. "...Yeah. So do I. Or around there, anyways... Maybe they got the same idea we--Solly--did. That's what I'm hopin'."  
“Not mine.” Engie shook his head. “If’n Ah know them any, they’re staying put, hunkered down in their bunker right now. And Ah’m gonna go git ‘em.”

Scout was silent for a while. "So... uh..." He cleared his throat. "Wh...What do you plan on doin' with us?"  
“Headin’ down Florida way. Ah’ll drop y’all off there.” He replied. “Any of ya wants t’stick with me, you’re welcome to, but after we hit Florida, y’all are on your own. Ah got mah family to worry ‘bout.”

A nod. "Thanks. That's... That's really damn sweet of ya, Engie." A Pause. "Mar...Marcus? That right?"  
“That’s right, pardner.” Marcus smiled. “And Ah’m just doin’ what I gotta, takin’ care of my own.”

Scout just smiled.  
_Yeah, I'd tap that._

"Well, me and Medic would probably want to take some time to just... get some RnR, yanno? I'd love to go with ya, but...." A pause. How could Scout say that he was too scared without sounding like a total pussy?  
“But y’all wanna stick together. Ah git that.” Engie nodded, with a smile. “ ‘s alright, stringbean. Drove for a week by myself, can certainly drive the rest of the way up t’Canada alone, too. The silence is sorta nice, sometimes, y’know?”

"You sure you'd be okay by yourself, though?" Scout asked fretfully. "Like, if you needed a gas run? Who would watch your back? Maybe you should keep someone with ya... Like Heavy! He likes helpin' people. He'd probably like to go with ya up there and, like, rescue kittens or some shit."

Engie paused, scratching his chin as he thought about it. “Thought about askin’ Nico if he’d wanna come with us, t’be honest.”  
Scout paused. _"Him?_ Why?"  
“Well, reckon that Soldier don’t want him ‘round no more, after all this.” He replied, “Would do the lil’ feller some good to feel like someone needs him, y’know?”

"I guess, but..." A wince. "No offense to him, but he ain't all that... reliable, yanno? Like, he's a good shot, but that's about it… He's constantly gettin' hurt and fallin' over on himself."   
“ ‘s hard to tell how reliable he is when he’s still on the mend.” Engie mused. “Not to mention, looks like he’s been through the wringer a few times. Awful thin, ain’t he?”

Scout sighed, shaking his head. "Dude, he's been _'on the mend'_ ever since I met him, and that was weeks ago. Go with him if you want; it's your funeral."   
"Good, cause I intend to," Engineer replied somewhat tersely.

Silence fell for a few seconds.

“Y’ever…uh…” Engie shifted, awkwardly. “Y’ever ask him ‘bout that scar on his face? Looks like a…well…a…”  
"Yeah, I know. Apparently Solly an' him had a heart-to-heart once or somethin'. Don't really know what it is, but I'm scared to ask, bro."  
“Reckon he’d tell us if’n he wanted us to know.” The Texan decided. “Prob'ly best to just…leave it alone.”

A nod. "Exactly. Oh. Speakin' of stuff I want you to know, just throwin' this out there, but I'm pretty fuckin' homo. Just givin' you a heads up."  
Engie paused. “…you wanna run that by me again, son?”  
"I'm gay as friggin' springtime. Most guys freak out when I tell 'em that and start thinking I'll rape 'em or somethin', but don't worry. I'm taken." A grin. "You're not really my type, anyway," he half-lied.

The Engineer chuckled. “Reckon I ain’t too afraid. Even if you and that there RED Spy teamed up on me, think Ah could take ya both down.”  
"Pffft, he wouldn't do that... right?"

“Came onta me when Ah first picked him up, but Ah taught him better.” He chuckled, cracking his knuckles lightly.  
"Dude, he actually tried to RAPE you?!" Scout gasped, eyes wide.

“Nah, nah.” Engie chuckled, waving it off. “Just…kept flirtin’ with me, putting his hand on mah leg, that sorta thing. Trust me, if’n he tried THAT, you wouldn’t be talkin’ t’him now.”  
"Good." A nod.

“Wouldn’t put it past him, though.” Engie shook his head at the ground. “Surprised he ain’t already come onto anybody but Solly.”  
"Well, he did. Nico, actually. After that didn't work, THEN he went to Solly."  
“What?!” Engie frowned. “No-good son-of-a-bitch,” He grumbled, “No wonder Nico’s been so skittish ‘round him. Wouldn’t blame him, not one bit.”

Scout paused. "Well... I know I don't know him all that well, since I ain't met him since like... two days ago or something. But I ain't sure he was tryin' to _hurt_ Nico, exactly - he DID leave him alone, right?" Scout remembered how desperate he had been to initiate something with Medic when they first met. Unless the RED Spy had _also_ tried to surprise the BLU with shower sex, he really didn't have any room to talk.

“Yeah, he left him alone, alright. _Fer now.”_ Still, Engineer frowned. “Keep an eye on him, though, will ya?” he stood, and dusted off his overalls. “ ‘m gonna head off t’bed.”  
"Sure thing, hardhat. Take it easy." Scout waved. 

* * *

Off on the other side of the room, Spy and Soldier were seen going off by themselves, and Heavy returned to the group. Soldier was following and had his face buried between Spy's shoulder blades, and was following him blindly.

Nico limped past them, on his way to the bathroom they shared. He gave them a quick glance, but it seemed devoid of any emotion. Spy just glanced at him as well, and continued leading Soldier away. He seemed lofty, as if he thought the BLU was being melodramatic or something.

“Goodnight.” Nico called out, in passing, without looking back at the two.  
"Goodnight," Spy replied.  
Soldier stayed silent.

Nico limped into the bathroom without another word, shutting the door behind him, quietly. Scout was left alone in the open space of the garage.

Soldier, however, was a mess in their little secluded corner, holding onto RED Spy and sobbing.  
The man stroked Taylor's, murmuring soothingly. "You did the right thing. You did what's best for you..."

Nico was internally reduced to a similar state, but he just stood there, staring back at the blank expression in the mirror. Then he examined his hands. Long. Thin. Scarred. He barely recognized them anymore. 

After a few minutes, he stepped back and pulled his gloves back on. With shaking hands, he reached into his pocket, pulled out his balaclava, and put it back on, before he limped out to the sleeping area to join the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry -- this isn't going to become another Pharmacy situation. It's not going to be like 20 chapters of Taylor and Nico melodrama with Scout and Medic fucking in the corner from time to time (though both will indeed happen for a bit).
> 
> I'm bad at estimating chapters since this is all just slapped down in a GDoc willy nilly and I have to cut sections into chapters manually, but I'd say... no more than 5 more chapters holed up in the office/garage before the group moves on and fights more zombies. 
> 
> (Also I just remembered this happened in this chapter but Nico, wtf. Nothing to get a guy in the mood like demanding for him to raw you in full view of two other people so that he'll "snap out of it". What the hell were we thinking with this toxic as hell ship smh.)


	45. Group Therapy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spy comes up with an idea to hopefully mend the rift growing between everyone in light of his new relationship with Taylor.

The next morning, RED Spy prodded Soldier into going out in "public" to get some breakfast. The burly American was a little antsy, and was being stared at fiercely by a very paranoid Heavy, but other than that, everything seemed okay. Medic was awake by now and checking up on Sniper.

The swelling had gone down considerably, and now the gunman was able to move his hands and forearms. Everything else still seemed rather tingly, except for his legs which were stubbornly numb. “Better at least, eh doc?” Sniper grinned up at the man, as he practiced closing his hand into a fist, and opening over and over again.

Medic just nodded, with a small smile.

Engie brought them each a granola bar before he started handing them out to the others. Nico had gotten up early, too, and was helping the Texan boil some water on the hotplate.

Spy took a deep breath, and sang softly, "Good mooorning, everyone!"

Engie just cocked his eyebrow, and went back to check on the boiling water. Nico looked up too, but only briefly. Soldier continued looking down and eating his granola bar while Scout hovered next to Medic anxiously.

“Ja?” Medic turned to the young boy, in mid-bite. “Vhat is it?” He looked tired, and the bruises on his neck still showed.  
"Just... Iunno... Wanna make sure you're doin' alright is all..."  
Soldier got the hint, even from across the room, and muttered softly.  
Medic smiled, and kissed the boy’s forehead, gently. “I am fine, Scoutchen. I promise you.”

A soft coo of contentment. The boy glanced over at Soldier, and leaned in for a whisper. "Even so, Doc, I don't think you should try anything like that again with 'im..."  
The older man frowned. “I plan to leave Soldier to his own devices from now on, unless he should require medical attention. Zhat is vhat I haff decided.” He took another bite of the bar.  
A nod. "Good."

More chewing, silently. “Oh, by zhe vay, Sniper can move his arms.” He smiled.  
The boy's face lit up about 1000 watts. "Wait - fuck, no shit, REALLY?!" he cried, ecstatic.  
Medic smiled, and nodded. “You can go see him, if you vant. I vill be fi-“

Scout wrapped the man up in a huge hug and pressed a searing kiss to the doctor's lips, then flounced off to visit Sniper, babbling Vince’s name excitedly. Spy's jaw dropped.

Medic just chuckled, and resumed eating his bar. Nico and Engie looked up at him, too, surprised. “Vhat?” He shrugged, spitting granola. Both men just looked back at the boiling pot, awkwardly.

Spy left Soldier to eat, and sidled over to Medic's side.  
“…vhat do you vant?” the German asked, suspicious.

"... Well _zhat_ was not a very friendly greeting," Spy returned with a frown. "Nonetheless..." He shook it off quickly. "I just wanted to speak to you about some zhings concerning my partner. Is zhat all right?"  
“I don’t haff any condoms, if zhat’s vhat you vant.”

A pause, then uncontrollable laughter. Spy tried to reel himself in, but only succeeded in giving a few embarrassing snorts. Medic just stared at him which made him start laughing harder for some reason.

“Vhat is so funny?” Medic deadpanned.  
"Oh, you are such a joker!" the man chuckled, wiping his eye. "I zhink I'll like you, Monsieur. But, no. That was not my concern. Let us get serious."

“Very vell, zhen.” Medic folded his hands on his lap. “Vhat is it you vant?”  
"Well. Soldier would like to apologise for last night. In fact, ‘e would come over and say it ‘imself, but ‘e's a little frightened about getting near you," the man added in a whisper.  
“And?” Medic sat there, looking unimpressed.

"And, a personal request on my behalf. Taylor is a... very special man, and I understand ‘im in ways many don't. I would appreciate it if you came to me before coming to ‘im with such a serious discussion as zhat, since ‘e tends to fear you, thus resulting in zhe lashing-out behavior ‘e exhibited last night."  
Soldier just seemed embarrassed and was eating his granola.

The older man just frowned. “You haff known him for all of…vhat, zhree days? You know him so vell after zhat, do you?”  
Spy shrugged. "I know more about zhe inner workings of men zhan most, I suppose. It comes in ‘andy in my line of work. To me, ‘e was exhibiting clear signs of stress, Doctor. Maybe you did not see it, but ‘e ‘ad zhe look of a cornered animal. I cannot say I know Taylor very well, but I find ‘im very easy to read. I ‘ave also ‘ad success communicating clearly and effectively wizh Taylor without pushing ‘im over zhe edge. Call it a gift, if you will."

Medic sighed. He didn’t for a minute buy this ‘gift’ story, but could do little about it, regardless. Soldier wouldn’t speak to him without snapping again, and perhaps snapping his neck. This Spy was his only option. “You say…you vill approach him, if I vant to send a message along, und not corrupt it?”  
"Oh, well, zhat isn't what I ‘ad in mind - per’aps I could mediate a discussion between you two, but if eizher of you feel uncomfortable wizh zhat, I could pass along messages, if you'd like. We could even involve Nico, too. I suspect you zhree ‘ave many zhings to air out, non?"

“You are zhree steps ahead of me, Herr Spy.” Medic stood, and crossed his arms. “Shall ve take zhis into zhe ozher room, zhen?” he gestured towards an office on the other side of the garage.  
"Per’aps after breakfast," Spy hummed, biting into another granola bar. "I'm still ‘ungry."

Medic nodded. “I vill take Nico in, and avait you two, zhen.” He walked over to the man at the hotplate, and helped him limp into the office. They had things to discuss anyway.

* * *

After a little prep talk with Taylor, Spy led him into the room with Soldier in tow. The man looked jittery and nervous, but sat awkwardly across the room, where there was space. There was another seat for Spy. Medic sat across from them, his elbow on the desk, near where Nico sat. His long legs hung off the end of the desk, his right ankle still visibly swollen where his pant leg was too short to cover.

“Vell zhen.” Medic started, clapping his hands together. “Shall ve begin?”  
"We shall, Doctor. Let's start off wizh an explanation of Soldier's actions in ‘is very own wording, shall we?" Spy prodded the man gently with an easy smile.

The man grumbled slightly, and looked down. "I didn't like Medic sayin' shit like that because he don't know anything. He don't know how Nico kept hurtin' me and didn't even bother askin' why I do half the things I do in the first place. He was judgin' me, and I didn't like that. Felt like I was on the electric chair gettin' drilled or some shit. I knew he was gonna blame me and hurt me and starve me just like he did before." There was venom in the man's voice and paranoia in his eyes.

Medic folded his hands, and spoke quietly. “I am sorry zhat I made you feel zhat vay, Soldier. I vas merely angry to see zhe vay you vere treating Nico. I felt it vas…_unfair,_ considering vhat he has put up vith for your sake.”

"And I put up with a lot for Nico, too!" the man shot back, hindered slightly by Spy gently touching his shoulder. "I would have fucking DIED for Nico if that's what it would have taken to save his life. _I would have._ But he betrayed me. He tried to break me and Spy up so that HE would be the only important person in my life!" Tears. "And after all that, he STILL wouldn't even tell me he loved me. He just wanted to make me as miserable as he was! So why should I ever trust him again?!"

“Zhat's enough, Taylor,” Spy cut in soothingly. "Nico, ‘ow about we ‘ear zhings in your perspective?"

Nico looked up, his face devoid of expression. “I don’t really ‘ave anyzhing to say zhat I ‘aven’t already said. I’m sorry, you don’t ever ‘ave to bozher wizh me again. Zhat’s all.” He shrugged. “I never meant to make you miserable.” He shook his head. “If it’s any consolation, I’m glad zhat you’re ‘appy, and I will do nozhing to disrupt your ‘appiness, I promise you.” His tone was flat, and unfeeling, like he was…well, like a zombie, to be honest. Everything that was the Nico they’d come to know - none of it was there.

Spy paused. "Well, let's start off wizh something simpler, zhen. Tell ‘im about why you denied me permission to come see ‘im in the first place? What was going zhrough your mind when you made zhat decision?"  
Nico paused, and thought. “…’e is all I ‘ad, and you were taking ‘im away. I was frightened.” He shrugged, again. “But… I see ‘ow zhings are now, and I ‘ave accepted zhem.”

Soldier huffed. "That's stupid, Nico. You didn't want to love me, so I went to someone who would. Didn't mean I'd drop you all together. People have fuck buddies and regular buddies at the same time all the time. Just look at Scout! He's got Medic, but he still cares about Sniper, right?" His stance seemed less aggressive and tone more relaxed.

“But you don’t want to be friends wizh me anymore.” Nico stated, flatly.  
"Well, I didn't before because I thought you were tryin' to drag me down with ya. I don't really take back what I said. I DON'T love ya anymore. I can't." A pause. "But... I never said I didn't still LIKE you, and I do."

Nico shook his head. “You ‘ate me. I can tell, and I don’t blame you. I really don’t. I don’t expect you to ever want to talk to me again.” His tone grew flatter, and flatter, like he was slowly slipping away from all of this. “It’s alright. I understand what a…what a _bad_ person I ‘ave been.”

Spy looked up. "Medic? Do you have anything to say?"  
Medic shook his head, as he stared at Nico, curiously. Something was clearly off with the Frenchman.

Soldier's eyes narrowed. "Nico, I know you're a lot damn stronger than that, and if you're just going to wallow in self pity after I just said I forgave you, then you're obviously not the man I thought you were. This was all a big misunderstanding. If you want to believe that I meant what I said and that the whole world DOES actually hate you, then congratulations - you just made it come true." 

He scowled slightly. "I ain't gonna pussyfoot around with you anymore. We're friends now, and for the first damn time in how long, I'm seeing you as a real person again instead of an idol. So as a friend, I'm TELLING you to stop making problems for yourself and SAY THANK YOU _LIKE YOU MEAN IT!"_

Nico smiled a tiny little smile. “See? You’re back to your old self already.” He gestured towards Spy. “ ‘e’s better for you zhan I ever was.” He paused, smiling at the other Spy, but only just. “ I ‘ope you two are very ‘appy togezher.”  
"I _know_ he's better for me," Soldier growled. "That ain't the issue. The issue is that you never wanted to sleep with me anyways, so why are you getting SO UPSET by the notion that I just want to be FRIENDS with you?!"

The Frenchman just stared back. “ ‘oo is upset?” he shrugged.  
Taylor huffed with frustration, throwing up his hands. "Fine. I'M the one's who's upset. But why won't you agree to the proposition, huh? Why do you not want to be in my life AT ALL anymore? If you're worried about me, don't. Like I said, you're not my idol anymore. As a friend, you can never hurt me again like you did in the past. So I'll ask you again. _Do you want to be friends?"_

Nico paused, and looked to the other two in the room, before he turned back to Soldier. “May I speak wizh you in private?”  
"You certainly may," Spy chuckled, rising to his feet. “We’ll give you all zhe privacy you want. Medic and I will be talking outside. Come, Doctor.”

Medic followed, and closed the door behind him. The two were now alone. Nico was silent, thinking of just how to word what he had to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit, I just looked ahead, and we're only two more chapters out from getting out of this area and hitting the final stretch. Can't wait for that!


	46. Taylor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico finally tells Taylor the full truth about why they can't be together. And Taylor comes to grips with his own past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Childhood sexual assault mention in this chapter.

Soldier scooted his chair closer, eyes wide. "What is it, Nico?" he asked softly again.  
Nico sighed, and fidgeted with his hands, before he placed them back on the desk on either side of him. “…I…I ‘ave a very…skewed perception of intimate relationships. Incredibly skewed.” He began.

Soldier nodded. "Kinda like me before Spy came?"  
“…my perception of relationships of zhat nature is…much much different, I assure you.” Nico frowned a little. “I…not just zhe relationships zhemselves, but…zhe acts zhat one performs when in zhem. I…ever since…” he trailed off, unsure of how to word what he had to say next.

After a pause, Soldier murmured, "I'm not asking for us to have sex. Spy'll take care of that. I just want us to be pals again."

“I know.” Nico looked down, and nodded, seeming a little sadder than before. “But I…it’s not zhat you…I…I zhink I wanted…but I…I can’t…I…”He sighed, and looked back up. “I ‘aven’t ‘ad sex since I was fifteen.” He blurted out, finally.  
Soldier just blinked. "Alright… So?"

“…so zhe last time I ‘ad sex, it was in front of my mozher, and I was being brutally sodomized like she ‘ad been mere moments before…” Nico spoke rapidly, every word blending into the next, and he stared at the ground, ashamed.

Soldier paused and nodded, face solemn. “I suppose I shoulda guessed. It makes a lot of things make sense. But what does this have to do with us?" A pause. "Are you... afraid Spy will hurt me?"  
“Forget ‘im for zhree seconds, will you!” Nico snapped. “You wanted me to talk- well I’m talking now, and you just keep wanting to talk about ‘im!” He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I asked you a question about if you wanted to be friends are not, and you just keep on _confusin'_ me, damn it!" Soldier snapped in return.  
“I wanted to be more, and I can’t, and I’m trying to tell you why, but you won’t fucking pay attention!” He snapped again, and curled forward, covering his head with his hands.

"Wanted to be more WHAT?!" Soldier cried, voice strained with frustration and irritation.  
“I wanted to be…what you…wanted me to be…” He mumbled into his knees, “But I can’t…I just can’t…I’m sorry. Not after what I’ve ‘ad done to me.”

"... You mean... _Lovers...?"_ Soldier asked softly, it slowly dawning on him.  
Face still buried in his knees, Nico nodded.

"..." Soldier sighed. "Well, Nico... I'm sorry to say, but that's over n' done with. I'm with Spy now, and, let's face it, he's best for me. We ain't any good for each other, Nico. We're both really..." he searched for words. "... Unstable. I think it'd be too dangerous to ever be that close - especially with your baggage and mine." Soldier grasped one of the man's hands. "Nico, I'm sorry, but... being friends is the best I can do for right now... What do you say?"

Nico finally looked up, eyes wet. “I say it doesn’t really matter, anymore.” He paused, “I’m not going to zhe Keys wizh you and zhe ozhers, Taylor. I just...wanted you to know 'ow I felt, before we got separated."  
"Huh?" Surprise. "What do you mean?"

“Zhe Engineer ‘as family in Canada.” He explained, wiping at his eyes with his sleeve. “ ‘e is going to drop zhe rest of you off in Florida, and keep driving up norzh…I’m going wizh ‘im.”  
"Wait, for how long?" Soldier gasped.  
“For…forever, I guess.” Nico shrugged.

Soldier frowned and looked down. "I... I don't like that... I want you to stay with us, where it'll be safe..."  
Nico scoffed, good-naturedly. “Nowhere is safe. Remember? Not wizh all zhose zhings running about.”

"But nature itself would isolate us from those things..."  
“It would in Canada, too.” Nico replied. “It will be winter soon. Zhe infected will all freeze solid.”

Soldier shifted uncomfortably. "I... I don't want you going up there, Nico... I know I said I don't love ya anymore, and I don't, but... I still wanna have you close... And safe."  
Nico just frowned. “Can you honestly tell me zhat you won’t still ‘ave feelings for me if we do stay togezher? Ever?”

Soldier glanced away, frowning.

“You see? Zhis is why I should just…drive to zhe ozher end of zhe continent. Why we can’t be around each ozher.” Nico looked sad, now. “I’m no good for you, and we bozh know it. I’ll only cause you more pain and more problems by being around you.”

Soldier hugged Nico tightly. "... I still don't want you to go, Nico... I'm... Jeez, I'm pretty scared for you, alright?"  
“I know.” He hugged him back as much as he dared to. “I’m scared, too, but…zhis it’s what’s for zhe best, I’m sure.” It was clear from his tone that he wasn’t sure at all.

A sniff. "Th...This is so unfair..." Taylor grumbled quietly, pain filling every word. "I don't want you thinking I left you just because of... s... sex, alright?"  
“…zhen why did you?” Nico looked up at him with glassy eyes. “I zhought we…zhat what we ‘ad was okay, but… I just don’t know what you want from me. Besides zhe…” He trailed off. Taylor would know what he was referring to.

"Because I... I needed to know that what I felt was natural. That it was _okay._ That I wasn't one sick son of a bitch for wanting you like that... I mean, the, uh... The way I grew up... It..." The man trailed off, looking worried of how much he should say.  
“Yes?” Nico asked, wiping his eyes. He didn’t know why Taylor had stopped.

Taylor looked down, and twiddled his thumbs silently, before he offered a quiet, "My mom... liked me. As a… _partner."_  
“What do you mean?” Nico asked again, not quite understanding.

"Before Spy came along and... helped me... the last time I'd ever been with a person and... had sex... was with my mom. I was thirteen when it started."  
_“… What?”_ Nico’s eyes went wide in shock. “She…but…what do you mean? I…” He really didn’t understand, and prayed there was some sort of language barrier thing going on.

Taylor's eyes welled up. "I... I told you about how my dad got offed by my batshit crazy uncle, right? I was just finishing up second grade when that happened - I was about eight. Well, my mother never married again after that. She was so sad all the time, and so lonely... She hit the bottle pretty hard and usually wouldn't leave the house..."

He folded his arms defensively over his chest, rocking back and forth on his heels as if to comfort himself. "Time went on and I started growing - fast. Faster than most kids, I think. Got involved with football - our football - the American kind - started getting muscles and a deeper voice... My mom would always say that I was growing up to be just like him. That the resemblance to my dad was uncanny."

His grip tightened on one bicep. "Then, one night... I think she was really drunk, but my memory’s fuzzy... She... came into my room and..." He shuddered, the abhorrent, emotional scene playing out in his mind. "She made me feel her breasts. She made me kiss her, and she... sucked on me, too. She kept saying that it was alright - that this was what boys wanted. That I was a man now and that I could do this with her."

A loud, messy sniff - he was really coming apart at the seams now. "Then we... We had sex. The real kind. I felt dirty and used, but I knew it couldn’t have been rape because I obviously enjoyed it, right? I came after all, so I must've. And it just kept happening after that - for _years._ I can't be mad at her, of course - I know why she did it. She was lonely, and she probably didn't think she was hurting me... All boys wanted sex, right? But it _did._ I… I remembered feeling like I was a shell of a body without any meat inside for days every time. Like I wasn’t even _human._ I never told her, though, because I didn't know how to feel… Like if I didn’t do what she wanted, it was like… Like I didn’t really love her. And I... I just wanted her to be _happy_ again..."

Nico listened to the entire ordeal with wide eyes. He was silent for a long, long time after Taylor had finished, and then stood from the table. Quickly, he crossed the room, and bent over the garbage can, retching from the story. Taylor just looked away, in shame. It felt judgmental to him - as if Nico were saying he was a sick human being for what he did and what he felt. But it was the truth.

“Oh my god…” Nico finally said, into the trash can. “She… ‘ow could she do that?!” Again, he coughed, and gagged on the vomit still stuck in his throat. “You were a child! I…” he looked back at Taylor, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He didn’t know what else to say. _“… I’m sorry.”_

Taylor was stunned. “… I…” The absence of judgement was actually a bit too much for him. He'd expected to be called sick or perverted. "She... didn't know..." he finally said. "Rape only happens to girls... or to boys treated like girls by _other_ boys. That’s pretty much how I always understood it..."

_“ ‘De conneries!”_ Nico spat. “She knew zhat it was wrong- any mozher would! It was rape, and she knew it, and I…” He sniffled, wiping at his eyes again. “I’m…I’m sorry zhat it ever ‘appened to you. I mean, what ‘appened to me was bad enough, but…” He swallowed, hard, and held onto the wall by the can. “Zhat’s…I can’t even _imagine…”_

Taylor smiled and hugged the man, despite the tears. "I wasn't there forever, you know. My grandpa didn't like me living alone with my mom because he was afraid she was making me into a softie. He asked me if I wanted to come and live with him - learn how to be a REAL man, and I said yes. I didn't tell mom until the day I was to go. I was 16 then, I think. We haven't talked since." A pause. "I feel like she... knew, then. How I felt about it. I think she was guilty. There wasn't any talking - just... a hug."

Nico hugged him tighter. It was all he could really do that might help at all. There was nothing he could say.

"Now do you... see why I... needed him? Spy, I mean?" Taylor asked quietly. "I could hardly even deal with my own disgust with myself. I... I wasn't like you. The trauma didn't stop me from wanting sex. If anything, it just made it worse, along with my own self hatred. Things got worse when I realized I wasn’t feeling these things for the girls. Sometimes I wonder if my mom made me how I am now. Like… if she _screwed me up_ or somethin’…"

“So he…he helps you wizh zhis?” Nico sniffled again, pulling away from the embrace, slightly. “He makes it…makes you feel better?”  
"Yeah. Before the only way I could vent my frustration was in the heat of battle. But now, we're playing for keeps. I can't be that reckless anymore. He makes me feel... human again. Not like a disgusting pig for what I feel."

“And you don’t…you don’t need me anymore, zhen.” Nico looked away, letting his arms fall from the hug entirely now.  
“You mean more to me than just sex. That's what I keep sayin',” Taylor muttered, still hugging him firmly. “We’re still friends, alright? Nothing can change that.”  
Nico just hugged him back, stomach churning with grief for his friend.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside, Spy was munching on another stick of gum. Medic frowned at him with disdain.

"I've been meaning to ask you somezhing, _Medic,"_ the man started, his voice far less warm than it had been inside of the room.  
“Vhat is it?” Medic asked, in the same icy tone.

"It's about Taylor - and something ‘e keeps saying - often - about you. Zhe reason 'e fears you as ‘e does." He locked eyes with the man. "Did you ever tie ‘im down for days at a time without food or water?"  
Medic raised an eyebrow. “Technically... _yes,_ but it vas because he vas mutilating himself. Und in my defense, I did put him on an IV so he vouldn’t starve.”

Spy blew a bubble thoughtfully, his expression softening somewhat. "Hmmm... I see. I zhink we should 'ave anozher discussion about zhat. Soldier doesn't seem to remember much about zhe incident, but ‘e remembers being scared. And lonely. And... well... _you."_  
“Perhaps, sometime after zhose two are done vizh zheir discussion.” Medic nodded, leaning closer to the door. “Can you heah anyzhing?”  
He shook his head. "I wish to preserve zhe sense of confidence, mon ami."

“Sure.” Medic rolled his eyes, and just leaned a little closer. “I hope zhey vork out zheir differences. Such good friends… It is a shame to see zhem split up like zhis.”  
Spy slowly raised his eyebrows."Eh.... Doctor. I know zhey are _‘good friends’,_ but... I'm not sure zheir relationship is ‘ealthy." A shrug. "Maybe staying apart would do zhem both good. Zhen again, I admit to being biased."

“Nooo, you?” Medic droned, sarcastically, then went back to his serious face. “I vill admit, it is not a healzhy relationship zhat zhey haff, but…I haff seen Sp-Nico…I haff seen Nico during zhis ordeal just grow…more and more despondent. It is distressing.”  
Spy blinked. "You zhink of me as selfish, Doctor? When ‘ave I ever shown such a trait?"

“Anyvone could see zhat zhe Soldier and Nico haff some sort of… _relationship.”_ Medic replied. “To squeeze your way in zhere in any way, just so you can get a little physical release- zhat seems very selfish to me.”  
Spy bristled somewhat. “I simply zhought Soldier had a little crush on ‘im, is all. I did not zhink it was returned - especially when Nico complained of ‘is affections,” came the protest.

“Even if it vas just a little crush, to come between zhem like zhis…” Medic just shook his head, disappointed.  
Spy huffed. "I'm sorry if I made zhe assumption zhat we are all ADULTS ‘ere, Doctor. I _will not_ make it again."  
“Good, because you’re certainly not acting like vone.”

Spy just growled softly, and stuffed in another stick of bubblegum to chew on.

There was awkward silence as the two men stared at the door. “So…vhere are you from?” Medic asked, trying to make small talk.  
"Since zhe infection began, you mean? Ohio."

“Vhat is it like zhere? Many infected, rioters, vhat?”  
"Zhe army overreacted so zealously, zhat, for some time, zhey were a bigger problem zhan zhe infected."

“Vere you anyvhere near vhere zhey dropped zhe bombs?”  
"Near enough to feel it and see zhe cloud - yes. I was a full city away."  
“And vhat of your team?”  
"Most of them? Dead, I presume."

“I see.” He nodded, in sympathy. “Mine as vell. How did you get here?”  
A laugh. "Zhat is a very long and convoluted story, Doctor. Let’s just say zhat Madame Helen wasn’t zhe only one with eyes and ears everywhere." Spy gave a playful wink, then sat back, awaiting his lover and Nico to come out when they were ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally... This chapter. I've been waiting a while to get to it.
> 
> Nico's twist was honestly pretty transparent... In fact, it was so obvious, I literally already thought he had confirmed the soldiers had raped him when he FIRST had his little heart-to-heart with Taylor. Taylor even alludes to it in one of the chapters on accident. We actually had to redo this chapter in our RP because Taylor basically said he knew that already, even though Nico had never told him about that part. Oops!
> 
> But, because we were all so focused on Nico's new drama of the hour, I never really got a chance to properly foreshadow Taylor's own abusive past other than a quick line about how he "doesn't talk to his mom often". I was honestly a bit peeved because Nico got TWO dramatic reveals and it felt like Taylor always took a back seat to whatever was up with Nico. I just wanted to bask in getting a chance to have Taylor talk about himself for a change and wrestle the spotlight back from Nico.
> 
> I know I must sound like a broken record at this point, but I fucking hated that twerp so much and I'm SO GLAD the plot is no longer beholden to his whims. Good riddance. And Medic slipping that jab in at RED Spy despite the fact that there was LITERALLY NO WAY for the poor guy to have seen how badly that would turn up, too? Totally looking past Spy's attempts to make things good between everybody, even if it meant possibly losing his fuck buddy because he genuinely cared about the well being of the group, as well as Taylor's feelings? Lol. 
> 
> God, I'm just fucking READY to get back to the interesting shit.
> 
> Salt over, lol.


	47. Conquest (Explicit)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feeling a bit lonely, Scout seeks the company of his favorite doctor. Medic surprises him by showing him a new move.

It wasn't that Scout disliked the huge garage - he kind of loved it. It was safe and enclosed without threat of the infected, but large enough to run in and escape that uncomfortable, "trapped" feeling most buildings gave him. But still. It was so... big. And so lonely. Even when everyone was awake, but with everyone asleep as well...

He didn't want to wake Sniper up again for idle chit-chat - he really needed to be resting. Feeling a little skittish, Scout went off looking for Medic in one of the guard rooms.

Medic was slowly starting to doze off, a book in his hands, as usual. In these late hours, when he was alone, he liked to read. Even in the zombie apocalypse, it was always good to learn new things.

Outside his room, he heard footsteps. “…hello?” He called out, softly. God, don’t let it be an infected…  
"Hey Doc," came the soft voice. Scout grinned as he poked his head in. "Just me. Was gettin' kinda lonely, but I couldn't sleep."

“Couldn’t sleep as in you vant to chat, or couldn’t sleep as in go get zhe lubricant?” Medic smirked, putting his book away.  
"Oh... Iunno..." Scout curled up beside Medic, snuggling his face into the man's neck. "Just... wanted to be around ya, ya know?" He stretched, getting comfortable next to Medic.

“Vell, alright, zhen.” Medic smiled down at him, wrapping his arms around the boy. “Feeling alright?”  
Scout smiled up at him, eyes warm and affectionate. "Yeah." He leaned forward for a kiss. It was gentle and loving - much unlike his dominant and needy ones that usually took place.

Medic kissed him back, just as tenderly, and stroked his hair as he gently stroked the boy’s lips with his tongue. Scout parted his lips to make way for Medic's tongue, patiently waiting his turn. He caressed Medic's cheek with his thumb, as his other arm secured the doctor's waist.

Medic briefly broke the kiss to catch his breath, and then pressed his lips against Scout’s again, slipping his tongue into his mouth. “Mmm…” he moaned, softly, one of his hands travelling lower to gently tweak Scout’s nipple through his shirt.  
Scout gasped slightly, sucking in a deep breath. His blood began to bubble slightly and his cheeks became flushed, but he didn't want to break away from Medic long enough to sate his welling desires.

Again, Medic had to break for breath, but was right back into the action once he had. His hand rubbed and tweaked the other nipple now, and soon slipped under the boy’s shirt, to rub against them with his bare hand.  
"Mmmmmm... Hold up for a minute, Doc..." Scout sighed, sitting up to remove his shirt, then his pants. Boxers stayed on for now. Socks, too. Maybe the floor was cold. Maybe he had a weird sock fetish. Who knew for sure?

Medic unbuttoned his shirt as Scout undressed, but left his pants on for now. His growing bulge could be seen in them, though, and he smirked down at Scout’s boxers, in a similar state. “Eager, Scoutchen?” He rubbed the boy’s thighs, tenderly, just barely reaching his fingertips up the legs of the boxers, to gently tickle his hips.  
"Yeah, a little." A small grin. He seemed like he was doing better than usual in regards to his hair-trigger, but he was still full of teenage hormones. Humming gently, he brought his knee up to slowly caress the fork of the man's legs.

“Ohh…” Medic sighed, rolling his hips up into the knee. “Yes…” He smiled, regaining a bit of his composure, and worked his hands around to grope at Scout’s ass.  
"There, see? You got it just as bad as I do." A small snicker as Scout relaxed into Medic's warm palms, and spread his legs for no reason at all other than to be a show-off.

“Hmm. Maybe I do.” He laughed back, his hands travelling higher, to rub at Scout’s lower back. “Villing to help me vit zhis…burning desire, zhen?” A cheeky grin, as he pressed his forehead against Scout’s.  
Scout leaned in more to give Medic another kiss. "Sure... Whatcha got in mind, sexy?"

He moaned against his mouth, biting the boy’s lower lip, gently. “I vant you to suck my cock.” Medic replied, breathless as the knee teased him further. Sweat was already starting to shine on his forehead. Scout was getting to him fast. It was sort of arousing, seeing the situation somewhat reversed from the norm.  
"That it? You sure?" A small chuckle.

“Hmm…for now.” He grinned. Creativity flashed behind his eyes, though, hinting that he had more to come for Scout.  
A smirk. "I know that look… Well, c'mon then, big boy... lemme have it."

“Mmm…” Medic sighed, unzipping his pants with one hand, letting his already-fully-hard member spring free.  
"Wow, all this fuh me? And I didn't even get you nothin..." Scout snickered, spitting into his palm, and starting with a short handjob.

“Oh don’t vorry, you vill.” He smirked, rolling his hips up into Scout’s hand as he moaned softly. His hands traveled back again, to rub along Scout’s spine.  
Scout couldn't imagine what all this was about. Casting aside the thought, he began broadly licking the tip, sucked on the head a little bit, and planted a soft kiss on the crest.

“Ohhh…yes…” Medic hissed, pushing on Scout’s back to help him bend forward. He grinned at how flexible the boy was, and couldn’t wait to exploit that. Medic’s cock twitched, excitedly, under Scout’s ministrations.

Scout lapped up the precum that bubbled out eagerly, then tilted his head forward, finally ending his short, yet effective bout of teasing.

“Ahhh…” Medic spread his legs, and leaned over Scout’s bent form, panting. “Yes, suck it Scoutchen…Oh, so good…” He moaned, his pitch wavering from the pleasure.  
Scout swirled his tongue, and looked up at Medic, eyes glinting with lazy, smug satisfaction. A small purr.

“Yes, yes, yesss…” He hissed again, thrusting forward slightly into Scout’s mouth. “Oh, god, Scoutchen, I’m…I’m going to…” A whimper.  
Scout let Medic have full control, simply bracing himself as he was facefucked. The taste of precum was heavy now - wouldn't be long before Medic gave him a taste of the real thing.

“Ohhhh, Scout!” He gave a high-pitched moan as he came into the boy’s mouth, trembling through his orgasm. “Scout…Scout…” He panted, whimpering as the last bits of his seed shot forth.  
Scout gulped it down, humming quietly. The faster he swallowed, the less of it he'd have to taste. Truth be told, he was a little disappointed. What was that huge thing Medic said he had planned, huh?

Medic’s breaths slowed, and he chuckled down at the boy, face still in his lap. “Tell me, Scout…” he idly traced a pattern on the boy’s spine. “Haff you ever heard of…autofellatio?”

"Uh..." Scout shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not...into the whole _car-fuckin'_ scene, Doc... Maybe you should ask Engie - I bet he-"  
Medic cut him off with a laugh, slapping his back lightly, if not playfully. “Lay down. I vill show you how it is done. I zhink you’re flexible enough to try zhis.” 

Scout did as he was told, watching curiously.

“Alright, now if it hurts, just let me know somehow, okay?” He slowly picked up Scout’s legs, pulling off his boxers first, and then angled them in the air, so they were hanging over Scout’s head. “Comfortable?”  
"Uh. Not really...?" It was a little disconcerting, being in a staring-contest with your own junk.  
“Well, here.” He placed a pillow under Scout’s shoulders, and repositioned him so he might be a little more comfy. “How about now?” He tenderly kissed Scout’s asscheeks, nipping at them slightly.

"Oh...." Scout sighed gingerly. A small laugh. "Okay, yeah, that's a lot better. "But, uh... W...Why all this, man? This a new kinky position or some shit? Don't you need to get hard first?"  
“Nein, nein.” He smiled. “I don’t need to get hard at all. Because…you are going to pleasure yourself.” A devilish smirk, as he licked at Scout’s entrance. A little rimming couldn’t hurt, in addition to it all.  
"Wh...What?!" Scout gasped. "Y... You're serious? I'm gonna... But... how, and... oh JEEZ that feels good..." A soft moan.

Well, Scout didn't quite know how he was going to go about doing this, or how long he could even stay in this position, but one thing was for certain. Medic was getting his jollies from this, so he could at least try it out. Grunting a little, he strained to reach the head of his cock. After a few tries, he made it, but could only really reach the head. Huffing with exhaustion, he began sucking on it as best as he could.

Medic helped to push his hips a little closer- slowly, though, lest he choke on his own cock. “How does zhat feel, hm?” He cooed, stroking the boy’s legs.  
"G...G--_hhkGoodfhnm..."_ Scout managed to splutter out. It did, but jeez, he was already feeling light headed, and he couldn't really grasp his limits in such an awkward position.

Medic pulled him back for the moment. “Breathe, Scoutchen. Take a little break. Zhis is a stressful position, I know.” He moved to rim the boy again, tenderly circling the puckered entrance with his tongue, dipping into it gently.  
Scout huffed quietly, letting Medic take over for a while. He had to hand it to Medic - he was one kinky bastard. Scout never thought he'd be taken by surprise by one of his 'conquests'.

“Here, again.” Medic smiled, pushing Scout’s hips forward again, slowly, moving his cock toward his mouth. “I’ll stop you every so often, so you don’t get overvhelmed, okay?”  
Scout hummed around his cock, was momentarily shocked by the vibrations of pleasure it sent through his body, then gave a flushed nod.

Medic let him suck at himself a little longer, and then pulled back again, to give him another breather. He took over, again, moving his mouth up this time to lap and suckle at Scout’s balls.  
Scout gave a delighted moan at this. He loved Medic's mouth on him anywhere it could go, but the balls had always been his favorite. "Hmmm.... Wana finger me, Doc?" he rasped quietly, eyes half-mast with arousal.

“Alright, vone moment.” He smiled down at him, lovingly, as he reached into his bag for the lubricant. Still holding Scout in this precarious position, he lubed up one hand, and gently began teasing the boy’s entrance, as he lapped at his balls lightly.

Scout groaned again. He was in absolute heaven. Spurred on by his eagerness to be sated, he began straining again, and finally was able to reach his cock again with his lips. Humming as he sucked on the appendage, bringing his hips forward every few seconds to mouthfuck himself.

“Ooh, you like zhat?” Medic smiled, dragging his tongue across the balls, slowly, as he slid his finger inside of Scout, quickly curling up to find his prostate.  
Scout's voice hitched a notch further and his entire body jerked, then quivered. With even one finger, it was hard to miss how tight his walls felt - the unnatural position was getting him to tense up.

“Easy, easy, Scoutchen.” Medic soothed, pulling his cock back from his mouth. “Just relax, and let it feel good, okay?” A loving smile, as he began to gently fuck the boy with that one, lubed finger.

Scout's eyes practically rolled back into his head as he let the German take full control over him. It was nice to let go like that. Maybe that's why he liked sex so much. Hardly anything said "I trust you" as much as letting another being with a perfectly functioning set of teeth suck on your naughty bits.

“Mmmm.” Medic cooed softly, kissing his balls as he fucked him with that finger, curling up to caress the prostate every so often. “Are you getting close, Scoutchen?” He eased his hips forward again, encouraging him to suck himself.  
"Yeah... Yeah Doc..." Scout whispered in that husky voice he always acquired when in the heat of the moment.

Still grinning, Medic pushed Scout’s hips forward- the closest he could, this time. “Zhat’s it, Scoutchen. You know what to do.” He placed loving kisses on the swollen and tense ballsack, flicking his tongue over the turgid flesh.  
Scout was as helpless as a baby, sitting there, gurgling around his own cock in pleasure and an absolute lack of self control until he came, filling his mouth with his own warm cum. He gasped in surprise at the dual feeling, some of it spurting on his face and chin as well.

Medic stroked his prostate as he came, and slowly withdrew, kissing the boy’s ass and thighs as he slowly moved his legs back, laying him down normally. Even he was panting from it all. “So…how vas it?” He grinned.

Scout seemed a little dazed, huffing. "Um..." he muttered softly. "...Good. Real good, actually." A laugh. "But I think I'd rather stick to you bein' the one sucking me off, to be honest... I'd only be interested in that for the sake of givin' you a show or if ya ain't around." A small smile  
“Hmm. Very vell.” Medic smiled, and leaned down to give the boy a soft kiss, licking the cum from his face. “It vas a very good show, by zhe vay. Very…very good.” A loving nuzzle.  
Scout snickered, and stuck out his tongue. "I ain't surprised. This is ME we're talking about, after all."

Medic laughed, and prodded the tongue with his own, kissing the boy deeply for a bit, before parting their lips, and laying down with him on the desk. “I vas qvite zhe…show-giver, in my day, too. If you can believe it.” A soft laugh. “But age takes zhe flexibility out of your muscles, so it’s been…probably a good tventy years since I vas even able to get close.”  
"That explains it," Scout laughed. "And when I hit on you, I thought I'D be the one ta show ya all the moves... I had no idea what I was gettin' inta, eh, ya kinky old bastard?"

“Vell, being a medical professional does have its advantages.” A snicker, and he kissed Scout on the forehead, tenderly. “But youzhful vigor is certainly necessary to employ zhat knowledge, and I’m glad I have such a…fine guinea pig to vork vith.” Another snicker, and he tickled Scout’s ribs, playfully.

Scout laughed and squirmed about delightfully. "Oh, yeah right, ya old fart! Guinea pig my ass! You know you'd miss me if I was gone." Another snicker, and he nuzzled him.".... Come ta think of it...I think I'd probably go apeshit if I lost you, too." His brow furrowed in concern, as if the thought hadn't struck him until then.

Medic sighed, and pressed his forehead against Scout’s. “Ve vill be fine. Bozh of us.” A comforting smile. “You know I vouldn’t let anyzhing happen to you, right?”  
"Hell, **_I_** wouldn't let anything happen to me!" Scout laughed, kissing Medic's nose. "But I wouldn't let nothin' happen to you, either."

“I am glad I have such a brave, strong protector.” Medic laughed, holding Scout in a bear hug, bringing his face flush against his chest. 

Scout just nuzzled against the Doc’s soft, pepper-colored curls, basking in the feeling of afterglow and being in the presence of someone he loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter before our group hits the road again. We are very close to the end. About 5 chapters or so, maybe even less than that. Exciting! 
> 
> Also, this huge thing is officially past 100,000 words now. Wow! I'm guessing the total will be somewhere around 110,000. Thanks to all who have read this far. Your dedication amazes me.


	48. Crazy Legs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group gets back on the road again after Sniper is cleared for travel by Medic. However, as they travel through a dreadful storm, they run into some trouble trying to rescue a new pair of survivors...

After a few days in the garage, the survivors began to grow restless, and, since Medic saw such improvement in Sniper, he deemed it okay for them to travel. And so, they packed up whatever supplies they had, and those that they had found, and headed off towards Florida once again. Scout was busy doting on Sniper - pretending that it was all just a joke, but actually being quite concerned about the older man's health still.

Sniper continuously slapped the boy’s hands away from his splinted neck-mainly because he could now. His legs still didn’t seem to want to work, but he was sure the feeling would come back there soon enough.

Medic was napping in the front seat. He’d spent the night preparing Sniper for the journey, and thus, hadn’t gotten much sleep. Engie drove, and fought back his usual whistling tune for the dozing doctor’s sake, opting to just occasionally fiddle with the CB radio instead. Nothing but static so far, even when he broadcasted to any potential survivors in the area.

Soldier was dozing off in the back whilst Spy stared out of the window nearby, ignoring the man drooling on his suit. After all the poor outfit had gone through, drool was the least of his problems.  
Nico, too, was staring out the window, nursing a nasty headache he’d woken up with. He’d chalked it up to the rainy weather they’d had the past few days- humidity wasn’t great for his sinuses.

Heavy was scouting the area for any dangers that could threaten the vehicle. It was tough, but a witch in the rode could slash the tires, a Charger might knock something loose, and who even knew what would occur if a Tank crossed their paths!

In the depths of his slumber, Medic shifted and began to snore loudly. _Embarrassingly so._ Taking note of that, Scout sneaked up behind him, crawling on the floor like an "assassin".

Still fast asleep. If anything, he was snoring louder. Engie looked at Scout out of the corner of his eye with a bemused smirk.

From his position on the floor, Scout growled quietly, imitating the sound of a Hunter. Medic immediately jerked awake with a scream, and accidentally slapped Scout in the face.

Scout yelped and fell into an embarrassed burst of giggles. "Uh... S...Sorry, man - it's just me. Sorry." A toothy grin.  
The doctor just stared at him, and then sighed, half in relief, half exasperated at the Scout’s trick.

A laugh and a short snort. "I really got cha, huh?" He leaned up for a short kiss.  
Medic looked away, with a frown.

"What?" A frown. "Did I really scare ya that much?"  
“I do not like Hunters.” He replied, still pouting out the window. “Don’t do zhat again.”

"Well no one likes Hunters, man.... But I won't if you're really THAT scared." A good natured grin.  
Medic glanced back at him and merely nodded, still upset.  
Scout just huffed and went back to his seat. "Well, sorry if I try to liven the damn place up a bit..."

Everyone else was silent for a bit. Nico broke it, by throwing up into the trashcan between his knees again. Migraines were a bitch.

Scout rolled his eyes. "I'm out. Later, I guess," he sighed, laying down to go to sleep.  
The younger Frenchman wiped his mouth, and leaned back in the seat, slowly. “Do we ‘ave any more aspirin?” He asked the group.

"Doc?" Scout asked, holding his nose.  
“Ja, zhere are some in zhe back, behind Spy.” Medic pointed.  
Nico looked over at the other Spy, pleadingly.  
Spy sighed. "If it would stop you from throwing up everywhere..." 

He got up, startling Taylor out of his sleep and clamored in the back for the medicine. Taylor sniffed and cringed.  
“Zhank you.” Nico mumbled, shifting the can so he had it settled securely between his legs. Last thing they needed was for it to spill. Engie had announced, not long ago, that they’d stop at the next town, where he could dump it, and they could all stretch their legs. So far there was nothing but farmland, though.

Suddenly, there was a VERY loud, thunderous noise, and about half a mile away, there was a geyser of dirt and... bodies. It looked like an explosion.  
Nico clutched his head and cried out in pain. Medic jerked out of his half-asleep state as well, and Sniper swore. “Wot the fuck was that?”

"By that barn over there!" Taylor shouted - pointing to where the explosion pretty much came from. "Someone must be alive over there!"  
Engie drove in that direction, carefully. “Anybody got a plan?” he asked. “What if it’s not a survivor? What if it’s some weird, new kind of infected?”

"One that blows people up?!" Scout asked, skeptical. Taylor was already handing out weapons.  
“Well…y’never know.” He shrugged.

Nico refused his weapon, and just curled forward, hanging his head over the trashcan. He’d be no good like this anyway. Medic took his, though, and quickly cocked it, fully awake now.  
Taylor nodded in agreement, and just placed the gun by the man's hand. "Engie, stay here and protect yer vessel. Heavy, you might wanna stay, too - help protect everyone who needs protecting. Everyone else, with me!"

Already, there were fresh waves of infected straggling towards the barn from nearby farmlands, snarling and gnashing their teeth.

Engie opened the sun roof -- the opening that led to the mounted minigun on top. “All yours, big guy.” He smiled at Heavy, as he leaned out the driver side window and began firing at the crowd of undead with his shotgun.

The infected nearest to the vehicle stopped for a moment as if noticing it for the first time, then began rushing forward. Taylor cursed, kicking a few of them away and shooting the rest as he tried to lower the ladder.

From the passenger side window, Medic and Scout fired at the horde, clearing them away from the ladder as best they could. “I don’t see any survivors!” The doctor announced, over the gunfire. “Does anybody?”  
Spy shook his head, squinting as a few drops of rain landed in his eye. He muttered with irritation.

Nico looked up from his can, and out of his window. “Over zhere!” He pointed. Two forms were climbing up on the rooftop, and shooting at anything that came near, or in the taller one's case, hacking at them with an oversized sword.

“Hang on!” Engie hauled up the ladder, and stepped on the gas, motoring towards the structure. The infected screeched as they were crushed beneath the wheels of the vehicle. “Ah’ll get as close as Ah can! Maybe they can jump.”

Heavy was roaring with laughter, mocking the infected loudly as he sprayed them with bullets in short bursts - to conserve ammo. Perhaps not as satisfying as letting loose, but still a great feeling.

Engie drove as close to the building as he could get, but because of the way the ground was, he was still stuck a good ten feet away. “Ah can’t get no closer! Y’all gotta go get ‘em.” He announced, firing out his window again.  
Taylor grinned as he saw the taller man - a BLU Demo - waving towards them. The Pyro was also BLU.

"AWRIGHT - LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!" Scout whooped, swinging out from the window and splashing into a puddle of mud. He disregarded it and began sprinting around crazily, peppering the infected with shots from the scattergun and using his cleats to his advantage on the slick grass. He was practically running circles around the infected, sending them slipping and falling all over themselves this way and that.

Medic lowered the ladder, and quickly followed. He worried about the two on the rooftop. The Pyro was kneeling, close to the roof, and holding his stomach as he fired the pistol in his other hand.. They had plenty of medical supplies to treat them, but hopefully the wounds were not too severe.

Soldier rushed out behind Medic, closely followed by Spy, who covered his back with two pistols. Scout led everyone inside the barn so that the infected would have to filter in at a trickle, and sprinted away, looking for a ladder.

There was one leading up to the hayloft, and a stack of boxes leading to a hole in the roof. Medic held the rickety ladder while the young man ascended, and then climbed up himself, leaving the other two men to guard the barn door.

"Oh, thank cripes!" the Demoman sputtered once the two had made their ways up. "I thought this would be the death of us for sure! Yeh gotta get me mate here some help!" he cried, pulling Pyro over. "She's hurt real bad! Our own Medic went berserk and attacked 'er!"

Scout squawked. "I-I KNEW it! I KNEW Pyros were chicks the whole time! Snipes owes me a fuckin' donut!"  
Demo looked unamused.

As did Medic, who helped the Pyro to her feet, and over to the hole in the roof. “Easy now, easy.” He soothed, letting the young woman lean against him as she limped. The wound on her leg was bleeding rather badly, and she still held on tightly to her stomach. “Scout, hurry! Ve must get back to zhe truck!”

Scout gave a quick two-finger salute and swung and scrambled back down to the ground floor with Spy and Soldier. He whipped out his bat and began cracking heads open left and right, wanting to clear a path before he tossed the pipe bomb.

The Demo followed behind him, quickly, swinging the sword, decapitating a whole string of infected at once. Engie revved the engine and yelled, “COME ON!” and the group ran towards the truck as fast as they could.

"Go, go, go!" Scout screamed, trying to distract the infected by sprinting off in another direction and popping a few in the shoulders and noses to get their attention. It wasn’t long before Spy was already in the vehicle and helping Soldier lift Pyro up.

Nico, feeling otherwise useless, dumped the contents of his trash can out the window, dowsing the infected in vomit. He scooted closer to the window to make way for the Pyro, and Medic immediately began treating the wound on her ankle. “Only vone?” He asked Spy, still at the door.  
"Two - a Demoman, also."

“Vhere is he? Are zhe ozhers alright?” Nico asked, worried.  
"I think so..." Taylor panted, climbing up as well. He held his hand so that Demoman could grab on and climb up. “But… Wait. Who're we missing?” Something wasn't right.

By now, Scout was feeling a little overwhelmed, the distance between himself and the armored vehicle growing steadily. He was getting pretty separated from the group trying to lead the rest of the infected away, and couldn't seem to dislodge the pipe bomb from his belt. The rain was numbing his fingers and making them all slippery and clumsy. 

Finally, he managed to unclip the beeping bomb and toss it as far as he could to his left, sending the commons scrambling after it. But he didn’t even have a chance to catch his breath before he heard a high pitched warning shriek. 

Before he knew it, Scout was grounded, struggling for his life, trying his best to scream for help. The Hunter pinned him expertly and began biting furiously at Scout’s shoulder as he sank his claws into the boy.

Engie gasped with dread, catching the sight in one of his rear-view mirrors. He moved to the passenger side and started firing out that window. “Hey! One a y’all get out there and help Scout! Ah think he’s in trouble!” He shouted over the howling wind. 

Sniper immediately started shifting restlessly and cursing under his breath with worry, but Nico stood up and moved to him, trying to calm him down.  
Soldier squinted, looking out of the window, but the wind was sweeping the rain up in a frenzy. "Where is he?! I can barely see!" he screamed.

"Should we leave him?" Spy asked, voicing the same question Demoman was thinking, but didn't have the guts to say.  
_“NO!”_ Medic and Sniper both yelled. The two felt equally useless - Sniper because of his paralysis, and Medic because he still had to tend to the injured Pyro.

Engie growled with frustration and began hanging out of the window with his entire upper body so that he could maneuver better.. “Over there!” he pointed. “That Hunter’s got ‘im!”  
Medic gasped and froze, staring out the window with his fingertips still doused in the Pyro’s blood.

Scout was struggling and screaming, flailing uselessly as the creature clawed and bit at him. Spy cursed as he kicked open the door, and jumped out of the vehicle. They weren't going anywhere unless the stupid kid was in the truck.

It took a few shots from Spy due to the wind whipping rain into his eyes, but eventually, the Hunter was killed. Scout rolled it off of his body and shuddered with horror and sick dread. The imprint of its sharp teeth stood out starkly on his tan skin.

But Spy didn’t care about any of that. He grabbed him roughly and began dragging him back to the truck with Heavy giving them cover fire as best as he could in the storm. Not all of the infected had heard the pipe bomb due to the howling winds.

Medic reached down and quickly pulled Scout up into the truck and into his arms, murmuring soothing sweet nothings in his native tongue. Nico limped near the door, and held a hand out for the other Spy. Spy took it with a grateful nod and pulled up the ladder, shutting the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *points uneasily at the ominous Major Character Death tag that's been there from day one*


	49. Dimitri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heavy lays down the law for the newcomers, making it clear that everyone's life is worthy of being protected.

The Infected slammed against the doors and windows of the armored vehicle, screaming and trying to claw at it fruitlessly, but the hastily locked doors and bulletproof glass was proving impossible to get through. Aside from some mildly distracting shaking, they really didn't seem capable of doing anything to the group safely tucked away inside.

Soldier winced, looking at Scout after he was pulled in by RED Spy. "Hot damn..." he muttered.  
Scout was shivering, cold, and wet, and covered with mud. The front of his shirt was slashed to ribbons and soaked in blood. His hands shook and his eyes were wide with fear. He was probably going into shock.

“Neineinein…” Medic sobbed, “Stay vit me Scoutchen, stay vit me.” He slapped bandages over the wounded area, doing his best to stop the bleeding. Pyro could wait.   
Scout hugged the man numbly, eyes still wide.

Demoman winced. "Oi... He's been bit now... There ain't no savin' 'em once that happens... We should put 'im down before he turns into a monster like the rest." He frowned, looking back at Pyro in understanding. Their medic hadn't turned until he was bitten, either.

“What are you talking about?” Nico looked back. “I’ve been bitten before, and I’m still ’uman. Most of us ‘ave been bitten, and we’re just fine! What are you talking about?”  
"Has the lad been bitten before?" Demoman asked gravely.

They all wracked their minds to try to recall a time where he had been -- if for no other reason than to prove Demoman wrong. But pretty soon the horrible truth started to sink in. He had never been bitten before -- he was usually too nimble and quick on his feet for any of the infected to catch him.

Scout began sobbing quietly, and holding on to Medic. "I don't wanna die, Doc..."  
“You von’t.” Medic shook his head, sobbing too as he piled on more gauze to stop the bleeding. “I von’t let you.” 

The rest of the cab watched on in sad silence, knowing the poor boy was probably done for. Scout also went silent, helplessly looking up at Sniper.  
Sniper did his best to look at Scout, but still couldn’t turn his head, really. “Just hang in there, P.” He swallowed back his own tears. “You’ll be fine. Medic knows what he’s doin’. You’ll be just…fine.”

Heavy placed a hand on Medic's shoulder, and looked around at the group in the large truck. "We will not be killing Scout. I will not see this here. Scout has been with us for very long and did very much to help everyone. Unless Scout turns infected, we will not harm him, understand?"

Demoman frowned slightly. "That's just plain dangerous! Even if he weren't turned into an infected, how much help could he be like that?! A deep gash or two is fine, but..." The man winced.  
Dimitri set his withering gaze on the man. "You would kill helpless man because it would be easier?"  
"I'd never do anything like that. But it'd be safer for sure."

“Would’ve been safer t’leave you two up on that roof, too.” Engie spoke up, handing his shotgun over to Spy so he could stash them away. “And people get better, son.” He gestured to Nico and Sniper. “Neither one of them were doin’ so good a few days ago, but look at ‘em now.” He popped back into the driver’s seat, and buckled his seat belt. “Scout stays alive ‘s long as we can keep him alive, y’hear? Now buckle up, this is gonna be a bumpy ride.”

The Texan shifted the truck in gear and floored it, shaking off all of the infected swarming the vehicle and crushing those unfortunate enough to land in his path.

Demoman sighed and nodded uneasily as Heavy took his seat. Soldier and Spy sat next to the Pyro in the back, and Nico, still not feeling well, just sat on the floor by his bucket, not far from Scout and the fussing Medic. 

Nico looked up at the other Spy. “Zhat was…very brave of you.” He remarked.  
Spy had seemed to be brooding silently to himself before the delightful sound of a compliment cut through his grumpiness. "Oh." A smile. "Zhank you." Spy looked pleased to have someone stroke his ego like that. He was currently working with Pyro since Medic was busy.

Pyro peeled off her mask, her short, curly red hair springing forth. “Yeah, thanks for saving us, too.” She smiled, still holding onto her stomach.  
"Not a problem - zhere is safety in numbers, no?"

“I guess, yeah.” She shrugged. “Do you guys have a safehouse?”  
"No, not really," Taylor offered. "We're heading towards Florida right now - for safety. Well, most of us are - Engie and a few others will be heading up north afterwards."

“Up north like…Canada?” She brightened up.  
"Uh... Yeah. Exactly like Canada. Why?" Soldier blinked.

“I’m from Alberta!” The firebug smiled. “You guys heard any news from up there? Like, is it safe?”  
"Not from what I've heard, no..." Soldier mumbled. "Didn't you hear? The infection started up there, then trickled down this way. What we're getting is just a taste of what it'll be like over there."  
Engie just frowned silently from the driver’s seat. He wouldn’t be deterred from his journey.

Pyro looked down at the floor, sadly. “Oh…” She replied, disappointed. "I heard it started in Mexico..."  
"I don't know who told you that," Soldier mumbled. "Maybe another huge outbreak started down there because of travel."

Spy nodded. "I came down from Ohio. It _is_ very bad up zhere - zhings were so out of control zhat zhey began bombing cities. ‘owever, zhere's a chance zhat zhings might ‘ave calmed down on zheir own. Zhe Infected are still living beings, but I don't zhink they eat or sleep. It's possible zhat within a few weeks, zhey would run zhemselves down enough to die on zheir own."

“Ya think?” she smiled a little. “I hope that’s the case. Maybe then this whole thing’ll blow over.” Her tongue swished around her teeth, trying to get out some bad taste that lingered there. “Anybody got any gum?”  
Spy instantly handed over a piece, smiling, as Soldier frowned a bit and shifted away. He trusted Spy - he just... really didn't like being so close in an enclosed space with a woman.

Pyro reached over and took it, taking her hand off of her belly for the first now. Now that it wasn’t covered, it was clear that it was…well, a lot…rounder than one would normally see on a Pyro. A LOT rounder. Like a beach ball.  
"You are..." Spy paused. "You are pregnant, Madame?"

Popping the bubble that inflated from her lips, she nodded, and resumed chewing. “Seven months.” She replied.  
Spy pursed his lips and looked up suspiciously at the Demoman.

“What, you guys couldn’t tell?” She chuckled. “Jeez, guess I’m not as fat as I feel.” Pyro leaned back in the seat, stretching her feet out.  
"Is it... The Demoman's?" Spy asked awkwardly.  
Pyro blushed, and looked out the window. “I don’t see what business that is of yours.”

Demoman leaned over to the Spy, and whispered in his ear. “She don’t know. Don’ give ‘er a hard time about it, aye?”  
Spy nodded. Far be it for him to judge what a lovely lady did with her own body.

Heavy, however, was completely starstruck by the younger woman the moment he laid eyes on her. After a moment of spluttering quietly, he finally said, "Pyro does not need to worry. I will make sure you and little baby are safe from harm, da?" A small flush.  
Pyro smiled at him. “Thanks, big guy. We got anything t’eat ‘round here? Junior’s been whining for brekkie for a while now.” She patted her belly lightly.

"You like granola?" Spy chuckled, reaching back to get some.  
“Eh…’s alright.” She shrugged. “But Junior ain’t picky. Food’s food to him.” She laughed. “Except Chinese. Not a fan of that stuff. Kicked like a Rockette all night.” Pyro rubbed her hand over her swollen stomach, affectionately.

"What do you think he will be named?" Heavy asked, smiling as he took a seat beside her. Spy handed her a few bars and went back to his place beside Taylor.  
“Haven’t decided yet.” She replied, munching on the bar. “Not even sure if it is a ‘he,’ actually.” Pyro shrugged again. “Few days before I was gonna find out, all this mess happened.” She gestured to the torched wasteland around them.

"Is sad..." He blinked. "BLU knew you had baby? What did they say? Did they still make you fight?"  
She shook her head. “Nah, they wouldn’t let me fight once I started showin’. Made me do office work and cleaning and stuff instead. Said I could go back to being a Pyro once I had the kid, but I had to give it up.” She rubbed her belly sadly. “I guess at least this way I’ll get to keep him.”

Heavy nodded gravely. Demoman was poking around in the back, looking for any drinks they might have. Alcoholism didn't just go away, after all. And if ever there was a time to drink, this was it.

“So we're just gonna keep driving and driving?” she asked. “Or are we gonna stop somewhere? I could really go for a nice soft bed right now.” Pyro smiled, knowing full well they’d likely never come upon one of those. But hey, a girl can dream.  
"Is not likely, but if we see safehouse, we might stop if Engineer says so."

“Reckon Ah could go fer a nice soft bed m’self.” Engie replied with a yawn. “Few more hours, then we’ll stop for the night. Sound good?”  
_"If_ we find someplace to stay," Spy interjected helpfully.  
Engie nodded, and repeated “If we find someplace to stay, yeah.”

Nico briefly rose from his place on the floor, and limped up to the front to peruse the map.

Scout had quieted down by this point and was resting, looking about the vehicle with sadness.  
Medic was there with him, hands pressed tightly over the wound on his neck to stop the bleeding. “How are you feeling, Scoutchen?” He whispered, with a soft smile.

"It's starting to tingle a little..." Scout muttered, the numbness of shock beginning to fade away.  
“Good…zhat’s good.” He soothed. “Spy, can you get somezhing to prop up his legs?” He looked back at the Frenchman, but only for a second.

The man looked around. "Like what?" he asked. "All we have is food..."  
“A…a box, a pillow, some blankets…” Medic tried to explain. “Hell, get down here and use yourself as a prop if you haff to.” He huffed.

"No thank you - I have found a box full of peanut butter. I think it will do."  
“Gut.” He nodded. “Bring it here, and put it under his legs.”

Spy brought it over and propped the young man's legs up, staring at him uneasily. The boy huffed. "Don't look at me like that..." he grumbled.  
“Danke, Spy.” Medic replied, shifting the Scout a bit so he’d be more comfortable. “Is zhat better, liebling?”

"I guess... Why did we do that, though?" the boy asked, blinking.  
“It is to help zhe blood in your body keep circulating.” He quickly switched out the sodden bandages for new ones. “I really need to get you somevhere I can stitch you up, zhough.”

"Oh. Alright." A pause. "Vince? You still awake, man?"  
“Yeah P. ‘m still awake.” He replied, though the tone in his voice sounded a bit sleepy.

"... I'm sorry, bro... I shoulda been more careful..." Scout sighed.  
“Don’t worry about it, mate.” He smiled, though couldn’t turn his head to aim it at the younger man. “Wot matters is you’re safe now, eh?”

"Yeah... I guess..." A soft sniffle. "... I'm scared..." he admitted softly, so that no one else could hear him but those two.  
Awkwardly, Sniper moved his arm around, until he could grab onto Scout’s hand. “It’ll be okay, P. Just hang in there. ‘m here. Don’t be scared, ‘m here.”

Scout nodded, eyes filling with tears. Medic kissed them away as they fell down his cheeks. “I am here too, Scoutchen. I vill not let anyzhing happen to you.”

"You can't let anything happen to the other guys, though, alright?" Scout sniffed. "Guys, I... I don't wanna say it, but there IS a chance of me... of me turning, alright? And if I do, I want you guys to be the ones to stop me."

“Zhat von’t happen.” Medic kissed his cheek again. “It von’t. I promise you.”  
Scout just sighed and nodded.

Nico was still perusing the map. He held his finger over a section, then held it over to the Engineer, who shrugged. Nico rose from his seat, and limping, came back to the others. “Anyone know anyzhing about Mississippi’s state, in regards to zhe infection?”

Taylor shrugged. "All I know is what I could figure. The infections started in Pennsylvania and radiated outwards, so the further north east you get, the worse the infection will be. So... Things will probably be getting worse."

“Merde…” Nico replied, turning to look out the window, as the sign ‘Now Entering Mississippi’ whizzed past. “Let’s just ‘ope we ‘ave enough ammunition.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if I realized it when I wrote it, but it's cool how Heavy almost directly echoes what he said back when Sniper and Scout said at the Church. He even told Sniper that he'd likewise try to protect them if one of them got sick a lot like Nico. And here he is, making good on that promise. What a guy.
> 
> IDK if you noticed, but there's also a finite number of chapters listed up top. We're quickly coming up on the end of this crazy ride. Despite all of its many flaws, goofs, and fraught development, I hope you guys have been enjoying the ride!


	50. Mertin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scout's condition seems to be worsening, so Medic is forced to turn to an unlikely source of help.

Nico rubbed at his temples, and sat back down on the floor. It was a bit darker down there, and easier on his head. "I never got my aspirin did I."  
Taylor rummaged around for a few pills and handed the tablets over.

“Zhank you.” He accepted them, his hand lingering against Taylor’s a little longer than it really needed too, and popped the pills dry before he laid back on the floor at their feet.  
Pyro moved her legs so he could properly lay down, but still wanted to stretch them out. She chuckled. “Not much room in here now, eh?”

"No not really," Spy chuckled, laying across Taylor's lap. "Not since you two came. It was a tight squeeze before, but now it's almost impossible!" A good natured smile.  
Nico looked over at Spy and Soldier, and frowned, sadly, before he turned on his side, away from them.

Pyro shifted her legs more, but just couldn’t get comfortable. “Doesn’t help that I’m the size of a whale, either.” She laughed, and bumped into Heavy during her shifting. “Oh, sorry big guy.”  
"Is not problem!" Heavy blurted out. "You can sleep on me, if you like? Had many sisters. They all say I am like pillow!" Another awkward grin.

“Thanks!” She beamed, and climbed into his lap, resting on him in a sort of bridal-style . “Wow! You really are like a big pillow.” She remarked, getting comfy.  
Heavy just smiled and nodded awkwardly. "You are... very pretty woman..."

“More like ‘pretty fat’, you mean.” She rolled her eyes, and laughed, patting her belly. “Eh, two more months, and then maybe I can see my toes again.” Pyro smiled, thinking of it hopefully.  
"Does not matter. You are beautiful." The man laughed. "I cannot see my toes, and I have no baby for blame!"

Pyro laughed again, and then stopped suddenly with a gasp. “…ow.” She put her hand down on the belly. “This kid’s gonna play soccer, I tell ya. One hell of a kicker.”  
"Or maybe boxer, da? I could teach little baby when he grows up."

“Maybe.” She smiled, rubbing her hand over the belly again. “You wanna feel?”  
Heavy nodded, smiling. He felt the woman's belly gently, his large hand covering nearly half of it.

The little tyke growing inside of her kicked the large hand, but Pyro didn’t really react to it. She seemed to be used to it now. “What’d I tell ya? Kid’s gonna be a handful when he pops out.”  
Heavy laughed. "Is good! Needs to keep fighting spirit."

“Yeah, he’ll probably take out his first zombie as soon as he pops out.” She laughed, laying her head down on Heavy’s large arm. “Hope he calms down a bit, soon, though. I could really use a nap.”  
Luckily for her, the child did rest soon enough, and the vehicle was silent mostly as they traveled the countryside.

After a while, Engie soon felt the gentle embrace of sleep starting to encircle him, and he could take no longer. He turned a dirt road that led to an abandoned farmhouse, and, as he pulled up in front of it, prayed it was safe here.

Luckily, all that was inside was a few rotting human bodies inside that really stank. They showed no sign of being infected before their passing, but were huddled in a corner before they'd presumably been shot to death. There were a few long-dead cattle outside as well, the heads stripped of skin - probably to test for rabies. Other than that, everything seemed deserted.

“Alrighty then.” Engie nodded, picking up his shotgun, just in case. “Everyone out.” He opened the door, and let the ladder down.  
Heavy offered to carry Scout as well as support the Pyro on her way out. Scout, by this time, was asleep, having been heavily sedated.

Medic and Engie both carried Sniper out, helped to the ground by Demo, and soon there were only Soldier and the two Spies - one of them still passed out asleep on the floor.

Spy nudged his counterpart. "Wake up, Nico. We've found where we're to rest for the evening."  
Nico merely groaned, and covered his face with his arm, seeming content to remain on the floor of the truck.  
"Come on, Nickie," Taylor grumbled, jostling him more. "Get up. I don't want to have to stay in here with you..."  
“Zhen don’t.” he grumbled back, rolling onto his stomach, ignoring the two.

"You want to stay in here by yourself?" Spy huffed. "Why? Are you going to drive off in the middle of the night, stealing our food and leaving us stranded?" He squinted at the younger spy suspiciously.  
“Yes, you’ve found out my ultimate scheme.” He replied, flat and sarcastic, before yawning into the floor mats. “I’m tired, and I don’t feel well, so just…leave me alone. I’m not going anywhere, except maybe outside to empty my stomach again.”

Soldier touched his palm gently. "If you're sure..." he murmured quietly  
Nico whimpered, but pulled his hand away, and curled in on himself. “Just go.” He mumbled, quietly.  
Soldier nodded and left along with Spy, trying not to show how upset he felt.

The lonely Frenchman curled up under the seat of the SUV, shivering and depressed. Damn near every fibre of his being wanted to follow after them, but he knew that, as soon as they hit Florida, he wouldn’t have the security of Soldier’s embrace to fall back on. Might as well get used to being alone.

Soldier didn't like the feeling of leaving Nico alone, but it was Nico's decision, and he'd respect it.  
Nico didn’t like it either, frankly. It was cold in the truck, and the sounds of the infected echoed for miles and OH GOD WHAT WAS THAT HITTING THE WINDOW?

“WAIT FOR ME!” Nico called after them, sliding down the ladder, landing roughly on his feet. Limping towards the rest, he looked back at the car. Nothing but a tree branch. Embarrassing.  
Soldier grinned broadly and welcomed him back with open arms, hugging him tightly. "Thanks for coming..." he murmured quietly.  
Spy looked totally unimpressed.

“Yes, well…it’s….razher cold in zhe truck.” Nico replied, clinging to Taylor, trembling a little from the earlier fright. “Don’t want to get ‘ypozhermia, or anyzhing.”  
"Nah, we got enough problems, I think." A friendly smile from the burly American.

Heavy was sweeping aside huge piles of rotting straw so that he could build a small fire pit in the middle. He'd stacked up a few bales of hay and draped a blanket over them to make a crude chair for Pyro.

“Thanks, big guy.” She smiled, and plopped herself down on it. “Say, what’s your name by the way? Never thought to ask.”  
"Oh..." A smile and a blush. "Is... Dimitri. What is yours?"  
“Emily.” She stuck out her hand. “ ‘s nice to meet you.”  
"Is... Is beautiful name. Is very beautiful." He shook it with his massive hand totally engulfing her own, a gentle smile on his face.

“Thanks. Oh!” She looked down at her belly again, and just led Heavy’s hand there now. “Jeez! Up again. What’s keeping you up little guy?”  
A laugh. "Is excited to meet me!" Heavy declared.

“Must be.” She smiled back, rubbing at her swollen stomach. The chill of the room started to seep into her arms and she shivered. “Brrr. There any more blankets around here?”  
"Da. You can have mine, Emily." The huge man handed it over and draped it over her, smiling. "Do not worry. Am big man. Will stay warm natural way!" He patted his belly as well, smiling.

“You sure?” She asked, concerned for him.  
"Yes." A blush. "Unless... you would want to cuddle, yes?"  
“Sure.” She shrugged. “I love cuddling.”  
Heavy grinned.

Emily held up the blanket edge, and scooted over on the hay bale to make room for Heavy.  
Heavy smiled and scooted over next to her, but forced himself to temper his infatuation. "I... I hope I... I do not scare you..." he started slowly.

“Now why would you scare me?” She giggled. “You’re nothin’ but a big ol’ teddy bear, you are.” She smiled, cuddling up into him.  
“Because I…” He struggled momentarily for the right words. “Your baby. I... I want to... to be father to it. For it.”

“Yeah? No foolin’?” She smiled. “Even if it comes out…lookin’ nothin’ like ya?” She looked over at Demo, blushing with shame. Not at his skin colour, of course, but just the fact that she had no idea if he was the father of her baby or not. One-night stands were frequent on the bases, and birth control wasn’t always readily available. Could belong to pretty much anyone from their BLU base.

A laugh. "Does it matter? I know little baby is not mine! Does not matter."  
“But still, I mean…when he’s older…what do I tell him?” She looked up at him, lost and pleading for guidance.

"Father died because of infection." A shrug.  
She glanced back over at Demo again. “What if he didn’t?”  
"..." A shrug. "Then I do not know. We will figure it out."

She cuddled into him, sad now. “He doesn’t want it, you know. Never did. None of them did. None of them would own up to takin’ responsibility for it.”  
"Do you think he is bad man?"  
“No.” she shook her head. “He’s just…a bad father, I guess.”  
"Then there is no need for me to kill him."

The Pyro looked up at him, shocked for a minute, and then laughed. “You’re funny, Dimitri. I like you.” She cuddled back up with him, resting her head on his chest.  
A gentle smile. He snuggled up to her, grasping her hand.

* * *

Medic was over on the other side of the barn, fussing over Scout once more. Quickly he’d rinsed off a tarp, and was using it as a makeshift operating table. His needle passed in and out of Scout’s flesh, gently, but as quickly as it could. Sniper watched what he could from over in the corner.

Scout yelped quietly, and grunted, flinching away from the needle, the muscles tightening.  
“Hold still, Scoutchen, please.” Medic looked down at him, worriedly, and tried to hold him down.

"It... It HURTS, damnit!" the kid growled, gritting his teeth and growling slightly.  
“I know it hurts, but please, try to stay still. It vill be over soon.” Medic soothed, stroking the boy’s face with his less-bloody hand.  
A whimper as tears welled up in his eyes, but he nodded, groaning quietly.

Medic kissed Scout’s forehead tenderly, and kept stitching his wound until his work was done. Then he bandaged it, propped the boy’s legs up on a hay bale, covered him with a blanket, and left to wash his hands.  
Scout was pretty placid for a while, but kept staring into Medic's face, sometimes seeming to slip in and out of a trance.

The doctor noticed this, and cupped the boy’s face. “Scout? Scoutchen, can you hear me?”  
Scout blinked heavily, as if trying to stay conscious. "Yeah... Yeah, yeah, I can..."

“Here. Drink zhis.” He held a bottle of water to the boy’s lips. “You lost a lot of blood. I’m going to ask if anyvone is villing to donate some. If not, I’ll do it myself, don’t vorry. You’re going to be fine.” He smiled down at him.  
"Alright..." the boy croaked softly, drinking slowly.  
Medic took the bottle and recapped it once he was done. “I vill be back shortly.” Another kiss to the forehead, and he was off to find Spy.

The man greeted him as he came into the room he was sharing with Taylor. “Hola, Doctor.”  
“Hello. Look, I need your help.” He admitted. “And yours, actually.” He motioned towards Soldier. “Ve…may haff a problem.”

Spy blinked, chewing on some gum. He raised an eyebrow. "Does this have to do with Nico again?"  
“No. It is…” Medic paused, looking around. “Vhere is Nico, anyvay?” He asked. He hadn’t seen him come in yet.  
"Asleep," Soldier answered, throwing some straw into the fire.

“Good.” Medic nodded. “He should rest. But…I am concerned about Scout. He is…I zhink…he may be…”  
"......." Soldier's jaw dropped, but Spy just nodded somberly.

“I…I cannot be sure, yet, but…” Medic exhaled, shuddering, upset. “Ve cannot kill him! Ve…ve cannot!” he protested. “Zhere must be a cure! Somevhere, yes?”  
Spy looked away, blowing a bubble quietly.

“Taylor?” He asked, looking at the other man, pleading for a ‘Yes’.  
"I... I dunno, Doc..." Soldier muttered, afraid.

Medic inhaled, hard, and sat down, covering his eyes with his hand. “_Scoutchen…_” He whimpered.  
"I'm... I'm sorry," Spy murmured.

“I am not giving up him.” He spat, wiping the water from his eyes. “I vill find a cure. Zhere is an answer to zhis, I know it!”  
"Wizh all due respect, don't get your 'opes up, Doctor."  
Tears spilled down Soldier's cheeks. He stared at the fire.

“I VILL find a cure.” He glared at Spy, clearly more sad than angry. “Now get in zhere and let me put some of your blood in Scout. He vill need his strength to fight zhis zhing.”  
Spy just looked doubtful, but Soldier stood and nodded nobly.

“Not you.” He pointed. “Your injuries vill still need healing, and you’re zhe wrong blood type, besides.” He pointed to Spy. “It’s his zhat I need.”  
Spy huffed. "I gave blood a few days ago. Not only zhat, I don't want to waste it on someone who may not be wizh us on zhe morrow!"

“You, I, and Nico are zhe only vones who have O type blood.” He explained, clearly desperate. “Vould you prefer I take it from zhe half-dead sleeping invalid instead?”  
Spy frowned. "I told you I don't feel comfortable with this situation. What if something were to happen to you? I'd much rather give you my blood in the hopes that you'd keep the group going and not waste it on... the boy. It is not kind, but it is reality."

“You couldn’t.” Medic shook his head. “My blood is O negative. I can give to ozhers vizh O positive blood, but can only receive zhe blood of ozhers like me.”  
"... Oh. Well..." Spy cringed. "That is another matter. I can't have you wasting your blood at all, then. We need you." He was their only medical professional, after all.

Medic smiled, gently. “So you vill do it?”  
A sigh. “If... I must."  
Soldier clapped him heartily on the back, grinning, even though Spy looked most displeased.

“Zhank you.” Medic shook his hand, gratefully. “Zhank you. Please, zhis vay.” He led the Spy out of the room, and prepped him for the transfusion.  
Spy just sighed and followed after him, like a man heading his own funeral procession. 

After a few minutes of relative silence, limping steps could be heard on the staircase above Soldier's head, as Nico came back downstairs.  
"You're back!" Soldier smiled and opened his arms as if for a hug.

Nico just quickly walked past him, out the screen door and onto the porch, where he leaned heavily over the railing, coughing and gagging once again. Once he’d finished, he came back in, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “Sorry about zhat.” He walked into Taylor’s hug, tiredly.  
Soldier rubbed his hair fondly. "Not a problem... Would rather you not do that on me, actually." A laugh.

Nico laughed back, once, into the other man’s shirt. “Where’s your Spy?” he asked, flat and worn out.  
"Oh, he's with Medic. Scout isn't... doing too well." He looked down, twiddling his thumbs silently.  
“Not doing well like me, or like…?”  
"... _Like..._" Soldier bit his lower lip.

“Taylor.” He spoke, sternly, yet concerned. “ ‘ow bad is it?”  
Soldier shook. "Medic... thinks... he might be turning."

Nico gasped, and stepped back, to sit on the stairs, just shaking his head in terror. "Wh...what do we do?"  
"I... I dunno..." Taylor admitted, frowning.

Nico bit his lip, wrapping his arms around himself. “I’m scared, Taylor. What if ‘e turns and attacks one of us? Or all of us?”  
"I don't think Doc would let it get that far... He loves that kid, but not enough to endanger all of us like that."

Nico just sighed, rubbing at his upper arms. “I’m still scared, zhough. Still worried.”  
Soldier nodded. Then there was a pause. "I liked Scout, Nico..." He murmured, sadness in his rough voice.  
“Don’t…don’t say it like zhat.” Nico was sad too. “ ‘e’s still alive. We still use zhe present tense for ‘im until ‘e is ozherwise.”

"Alright." A nod. "He... _still is_ a good kid." A small cringe.  
“Yes.” Nico nodded, too. “Yes ‘e is. I’ll miss ‘im when… _when we separate._”  
"Poor kid..." Soldier sighed. "C'mon - let's get some sleep...."

Nico sighed, and turned to go up the stairs. “Well…maybe zhere is ‘ope. You all zhought I was going to turn, and I didn’t, after all. Maybe…maybe Scout is immune too, and we just don’t know it.” He shrugged, and looked over his shoulder at Taylor.

"Maybe… I hope so," Taylor murmured, still unable to meet his gaze  
“I do too.” He nodded. “…goodnight.” Nico whispered, before he began to limp his way up to the hayloft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be the last one, so it's going to be a lot longer than normal. Just a fair warning, it WILL be a cliffhanger, and while it's possible I could give this fanfic a proper send-off later, it's not gonna be a sure thing. See you next week for the thrilling conclusion!


	51. Peter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The thrilling an unsatisfying non-conclusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise that back in 2012 this concept was relatively novel. Don't roast me.

Scout was quiet when Medic came back with Spy. "Everything okay?" He looked at Spy with a sort of animalistic paranoia.  
“Everyzhing will be fine, Scoutchen.” He knelt by him, and gestured for Spy to sit. “Spy here is just going to give you some of his blood, and you’ll feel much better.”

"Oh... Yeah, I'd like some blood..." He smiled and licked his pale lips quietly.  
Medic froze, and then chuckled. “Such a…a silly boy. You’re delirious.” He patted his shoulder, gently, and attached the mechanism for the transfusion. He smiled at Spy. _"He's delirious."_

Spy just gave Medic a disappointed look. He sat and extended his arm, chewing on his gum anxiously.  
Medic attached the mechanism to Spy’s arm, and just sat there, watching the blood flow from his veins, into Scout’s, chewing on his lip nervously.

Scout carefully kept watch over it. There was a strange glint in his eyes as the crimson liquid flowed between them. A warbling groan.  
Medic turned away from him, and shut his eyes tight to block off the tears. “Vhen zhis is done, go get zhe Engineer.” He whispered to Spy.

"Why?" the man whispered. Scout was still watching the blood.  
“Ve… ve vill haff to restrain him.” Medic choked out, like the very words made him sick to his stomach.  
Spy nodded.

When Medic removed the transfusion device, Scout was licking at his vein before anyone could stop him, grunting and sucking noisily.  
“Oh gott…” Medic sobbed, covering his hand with his mouth. “Hurry.” He looked at Spy as he did his best to hold Scout down.

Scout growled at Medic, struggling against him. "What the hell are you doing, pal?!"  
“SCOUT. SCOUTCHEN, PLEASE...” Medic sobbed. “Stay vith me…please…I can’t lose you…”

"LET ME GO, YOU PSYCHO! I'm fucking FINE!" Another snarl as his upper lip raised as if he were a dog.  
Spy ducked out, feeling terribly light-headed.

“SOMEVONE! HELP, PLEASE!” Medic sobbed, finding it harder and harder to keep the boy pinned to the ground like this.  
"LET GO OF ME!!!"

Spy stumbled into the barn again, moaning slightly. "Engineer... Engineer, _‘elp..."_ he called out weakly, his head swimming from the sudden drainage of blood.  
“Spah?” Engie quickly scrambled down the ladder. “Spah, what is it? What’s wrong?” He put his hands on the other man’s shoulders to steady him.

"You ‘ave... ‘ave to ‘elp zhe Medic... Scout may be turning, and ‘e... needs to be restrained,” Spy managed to pant out as he leaned against the bowing wall.  
“Jus…sit down here.” Engie helped the other man slide to the ground and sit. “Ah’ll take care a this.” 

Quick as a whip, he dashed up to the hayloft, grabbed some rope, and ran into the house where Medic was still crying and yelling for help. He tied the boy up, like a cattle he was roping, and left him in the corner, panting from the stress.

Scout screamed fruitlessly in the corner, cursing and squirming in his restraints. "FUCK YOU YA GOD DAMN NAZI! I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL WITH THE REST OF ‘EM!"

He growled and gnashed his teeth as if trying to get to the ropes, face flushing with rage. Medic sobbed, and clung to the Engineer. He was the only thing keeping him from running over there and undoing the restraints.

Scout quieted eventually, snarling and glaring at the man. He seemed confused.  
Shaking, Medic made his way over to him. “Scout…do you know who I am?” he asked, desperate.

"You... Me...dic...?"  
“Vhat is my name?”  
"... Medic. I just said, moron!"

Medic swallowed, and shook his head. “Do you remember your name?”  
"I'm Scout!" Frustration.  
“Not your class.” He frowned. “Zhe name your mozher gave you. Vhat is it?”

Scout looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

Then, there was a sudden realization, and a grin. "... Hey. We... We used to have sex. Didn't we? I'd like to fuck you a good one right now... Make ya _scream...”_  
Medic sobbed, and turned away for a moment. “Do you remember who Vince is?”  
"C'mere, big guy. Let me fuck ya good, huh. How about you, pudgy? Any takers? Huh?"  
Engie just shook his head, disappointed.

“VINCE. TELL ME WHO VINCE IS TO YOU.” Medic spat, desperate.  
“I DON'T FUCKING KNOW!” Scout screamed back.

“What about Nico? Or Taylor, or Dimitri!” He kept trying.  
Scout just grinned. It was almost cruel in a way. "I really, REALLY wanna cut ya right now... Just a few drops of blood... everywhere." He tried to wriggle closer despite his restraints

Medic looked like he was about to be sick. “Vhat about…Peter? Do you remember him?”  
"I don't care about ANYBODY! Least of all some Peter piece of shit faggot!"

Another sob, and Medic stood. He knew the boy was gone. But he would find a way to bring him back. “I…I love you, Peter.” He sniffled, and ran out into the next room.  
"BWAHAHAHAHA! WHAT’S GOT YOU SO UPSET, FAGGOT?! YOU GONNA CRY SOME MORE OVER YOUR STUPID BOYFRIEND?!" Hysterical laughter.

Engie shook his head, and took a rag out of his pocket. Quickly, he strode over to Scout, and shoved it in his mouth, before he started tying it around the back of his head.  
Scout thrashed around and snarled around it. He seemed scared somehow.

Once the rag was securely in place, Engie tenderly stroked the boy’s hair. “Just calm down now, Peter. We’re gonna do our best t’getcha better. Just hang in there.”  
Peter paused, almost seeming to understand for a moment, and nodded. He suddenly looked exhausted.

Engie sighed, and covered him with a blanket. Poor kid.

Peter didn't sleep at all during the long, chilling night. When Medic came back, he was sweating with a high fever and muttering unintelligibly.

Medic dipped a cloth in some water they had, and began running it over Scout’s warm skin. “Peter…Peter, can you hear me?”  
Weak muttering.

“Everyzhing is going to be alright, Peter.” Medic soothed, making another pass of the washcloth. “I am going to find a cure for zhis, I promise.”  
The boy squinted at him, as if trying to make him out. His irises were pale, but his eyes were bloodshot around the whites.

Medic’s eyes were bloodshot, too -- from crying, and from the lack of sleep. But he didn’t look nearly as bad as Scout. Tenderly, he kissed the boy on the forehead, and made his promise to him again.  
Scout gurgled quietly. It wasn't long before he began vomiting weakly and groaning.

Medic pulled the gag away to wipe up the vomit. “You must be hungry.” He reached into his pocket for a granola bar, and held it in front of Scout’s face. “You vant it?”  
Scout grunted and turned away weakly. A quiet growl.

“You haff to eat, Scoutchen.” He unwrapped it, and held it to the boy’s lips.  
Scout snapped at Medic's hand and bit viciously at his finger.

“ACH!” He recoiled, and gulped when he saw the bit of blood that dripped from the digit. “This. This vhat you vant?” he frowned down at the boy.  
Scout grinned, smiling at the blood dripping from the man's finger. He extended his tongue, trying to catch it.

Medic smeared the crimson liquid on the cereal bar. “Zhere. You vill eat it now, yes?”  
Scout sniffed at it and frowned, but ate it anyway.

“Gut.” Medic frowned, and tied the gag back in place once he’d finished chewing. “Now behave yourself.” He scolded, and left to stitch up his finger.  
Scout whined slightly, squirming helplessly on the ground.

* * *

Nico climbed down, slowly, from the hayloft, and limped past the other Spy. Why had he fallen asleep there? “ ‘ey.” He shook him, gently. “ ‘ey, wake up.”  
Spy shifted, groaning. "What...? What is it? Leave me alone, or-- augh!" A twitch. "My neck!" A groan.

Nico watched him in his pain. “…It’s morning.” He stated.  
"... Zhank you. I surmised as much." A scowl. "... 'ow is zhe possessed boy, hmmm?"

“I don’t know. I’aven’t seen ‘im.” Nico paused. “Did you sleep zhere all night? Why?”  
"I was too exhausted to make my way back." He rubbed his shoulder, wincing.  
“Like a ‘and up?” Nico extended his hand.

"I'm fine." Spy stood up on his own, sighing and cracked his neck. "Zhings are not looking good for Peter. If you believe in any sort of deity, I suggest you begin your prayers." He popped another wad of already-chewed gum in his mouth.

“I was going to just zhat. Would you care to join me?” Nico smiled at him, genuinely.  
"I'm sorry, but I stopped praying a long time ago." A tight, overly polite smile.  
Nico shrugged, still with that smile. “To each ‘is own. Excuse me.” He gestured to the doorway that the Spy was currently blocking.

Spy sighed and moved over, still feeling irritable and tired. "Where is Taylor?"  
The younger man shrugged, and moved past him, out the doorway, and knelt in the hall, hands clasped together on the windowsill. He closed his eyes, and quietly began to pray in his native tongue.

* * *

Heavy woke up with a snort and a stretch, mumbling as he scratched himself. There was a pause as he realized he was still beside his lovely lady. Once again his heart melted and he snuggled up to her.  
Pyro shifted, mumbling in her half-awake state, and let out a loud belch. “…’mornin’.” She yawned.  
Heavy shook the rafters with his laugh. “Good morning, Emily and baby!" he greeted warmly, hugging her.

She patted his arm back. “So what’s for breakfast?” She laughed. “Right now I could go for some pancakes, bacon, eggs, french toast, regular toast, fresh fruit, and about ninety cups of coffee.” She rolled onto her back, and smiled at Heavy. “You got all that?”  
A smile. "No."

She just smiled back, and scratched at her messy red hair. “What do we have, anyway?”  
Heavy smiled and offered her a bar. "This. Is good. Better than peanut butter."

“Thanks.” She mumbled around it, already having shoved it greedily in her mouth. “Got lotsa granola bars but not much else, eh?” Pyro swallowed, and patted her belly. “Let’s hope you don’t come out part horse, then.” She laughed.  
Heavy just smiled. "I am happy you have good spirit still."

“Hey, I’m just glad I’m not getting woken up to the feeling of puke coming up my throat anymore.” She smiled. “Morning sickness. It SUCKS. Seriously.” She chomped down the last bite of the bar. "So what's the plan for today?"  
"Not very sure..." He looked around. "Has been quiet for today..."

“Shit…you don’t think they like…left us behind, do you?”  
“Well…” Heavy sat up and cocked his head. “I hear voices, so I don't think so.”

“Phew. That’s a relief.” She smiled. “Speaking of, we got a piss bucket around here somewhere? Or a bathroom? Dare I dream.” She giggled.  
Heavy pointed her to a dark corner with plenty of hay piled up.

“Ah. Excuse me, then.” She nodded, with a smile, and waddled over to the corner.  
"You will not be needing help?" A pause. "I promise there will be no peeking." An embarrassed smile.

“I’m good!” She called out, and disappeared behind the hay. “Thanks, though! You’re really sweet!”  
A blush. "Th...Thank you..."

“You’re welcome!” She called back. “Now can you be quiet for a second? I need to concentrate in order to piss these days!”  
An embarrassed smile and a nod.

* * *

A rough hand shook Sniper awake. “Mm…wot? Wot is it?” The Aussie mumbled, sleepily. “ ‘s’going on?”  
"It's yer old pal Demo," the man murmured. "Lissen - you gotta get up, mate. There's somethin' yeh gotta see."

“Wot?” he rubbed at his eyes. “And if y’hadn’t noticed, ‘m gonna need some help up.” Sniper gestured to his still-rather-dead legs.  
"Oh. Right." Demoman helped support him to his feet, grunting. "Any feelin' under the belt yet?" he asked, half-jokingly.

Sniper clung to him, legs hanging limply, and his braced neck turned straight ahead weirdly. “Can feel m’hips. It’s a start. Now wot’s this you wanna show me?”  
A pause. "It's yer Scout felleh."

Sniper blinked, and bit his lip. “…is he okay?” He asked, knowing the answer was probably no.  
Demoman just sighed.  
“At least…tell me he’s alive, mate.” Sniper choked out.  
"Aye. He's still alive."

“But he’s…he’s hurt, then?”  
"He's _changin'.”_

“…wot?” Sniper exhaled, barely audible. “No…no he can’t be! He’s…are you sure?”  
"I'm takin' you to see 'im. Yeh can decide for yourself once we're there."  
“Christ…Peter…” Sniper hiccupped, and clung to Demo, afraid of what he’d see.

When the two got there, Scout was rolling around on the ground, hissing and growling unnaturally. There were a few droplets of blood oozing from his ears, and his eyes still looked horridly bloodshot with white irises.

“NO!” Sniper cried out, and wished to god that he could turn his head away right now.  
Scout gave a piercing shriek in return, as if taking his agonized cry as a challenge.

Sniper sobbed, and covered his mouth with his hand. “Christ…you’re…you’re gonna have to…then?” He couldn’t say the words ‘kill him’, as if the poor boy would drop dead on the spot.  
"The doc's goin' crazy trying tae look for a cure before that happens. I cannae say if it'll help anything, though." He looked down at the pathetic figure sadly. "Pretty soon, we're gonna have t'make up our mind about wot tae do with 'em"

The Aussie just sobbed, clinging sideways to Demo. “Please, mate…I can’t look at this anymore…can’t look at him…like this.”  
Scout just growled threateningly.  
Demoman nodded and led him out of the room quietly.

* * *

It fell to Engie to make breakfast again. Why, he didn’t know, but the day didn’t feel right unless he started it by cooking up some of the oatmeal they had. It tasted blander than hell, but food was food. Demoman and Sniper eventually arrived at the scene, looking somber.

Engie knew why. He’d seen the boy earlier. It was not a pleasant sight. “Like some oatmeal, fellas?”  
Sniper politely refused it, but he held the bowl out for Demo all the same.

Demoman nodded and tipped his bowl forward. "Ay. So what's the plan for today, then?" he asked, watching the faces of the other men. "How long should we stay here?"  
“Reckon I ain’t too sure.” Engie admitted. “With…our…circumstances bein’ what they are…” he treaded lightly, “Ah think it’d be best to sit tight for a few more days.”

"I disagree," Spy huffed, walking in on the scene. "We can't afford to be held up any longer."  
“We’ll y’all ain’t the one _drivin’,_ now are ya?” The Texan frowned, holding out a bowl for Spy.

"True, but I thought you were trying to reach your family. Wait too long and they might not be there when you arrive."  
Sniper growled. "Now that just ain't fair!" he protested. Using the man's family against him like that...

“Don’t remind me.” Engie grumbled. “But it ain’t safe to travel…like…some of us are. Need to think ‘bout what we’re gonna do to…to make it safe.”  
"Sometimes the best answer is the easiest one," Spy responded, glaring into the fire..

Engie frowned. “Just eat your dang oatmeal.”  
"With pleasure." Spy began eating quietly, staring down into his bowl.

In the background, Nico peeked through the door, saw what they were eating, and went to the basement to get something. He came back up with a smile, and a jar. “ ‘ere.” He plopped it in the middle, before taking his own bowl and sitting beside the Spy. “Found some preserves in zhe basement. Might make zhis a little more…palatable.”

"Fook yeah!" Demoman cried, momentarily distracted by the thought of better food.  
Nico smiled, and shook the jar, letting a glob of the indistinguishable fruit plop onto the Demoman’s bowl. He did the same with Engie’s, and with his, and held it over Spy’s as well.

Spy raised an eyebrow and pulled his bowl away. "I'd rather not die of botulism, thank you."  
Nico rolled his eyes. “Zhe jar only dates back to last winter.” He turned it so Spy could see the label on the side. “You really zhink I’d feed everyone somezhing I didn’t know was safe?”

"I don't trust these farmers to truly go through the safety measures needed."  
"Just fookin' eat it," Demoman sighed. "It's good stuff!"

"Fine. But when we're all dying from food poisoning later on, don't say I didn't warn you." He held out his bowl, looking bored.  
Nico tipped the jar, and let a glob of fruit pour out into the bowl. “Duly noted.” He remarked, before he capped the jar, and sat back to eat his own oatmeal.

Heavy and the Pyro came forward, then, with Heavy supporting her generously the entire way.  
Demoman looked up at them, eyes masked a little.

Emily laughed. “Dimitri! ‘mitri, I can walk for Pete’s sake! My ankle barely even got scratched, come on!”  
"I just want to be making sure."

“I’m fine.” She laughed. “But you might have to help me sit down.” She squatted, trying to get to the floor without falling violently on her ass.  
Heavy was there to support her all the way down, then went and fetched her a blanket to be snuggled up in as she ate her breakfast.

“You’re too sweet. Really.” She smiled, patting his arm as she took her oatmeal. “OOH! JAM!” She was excited by the glob of sugary fruit that Nico proffered, and took it gladly.  
Demoman nudged her quietly, looking like he wanted to talk.

“What?” She asked, with her mouth full of oatmeal.  
"What's with you and the big guy, eh, lass?" he whispered, looking suspicious.

Pyro swallowed, and frowned. “What do you mean?”  
"You two are nigh inseparable now. What's going on?"  
She shrugged, and took another bite. “He’s being nice to me and I like it. You got a problem with that?”

“Are you sleepin' with another man already, lass?" Demoman asked bluntly. "I know what we had wasn't that serious, but I hadn't planned on letting yeh go yet." He frowned irritably.  
Another bite, and she looked away from him, snootily. “Well you shoulda thought about that before you told me you didn’t want this.” She patted her stomach. "He does, and that's all that matters to me right now."

Demoman grunted a bit."C'mon, lass - I helped you practically across the bloody country... Yeh know I still care about you, right...?"  
“Well you have a pretty crappy way of showing it sometimes, Diarmad.” She frowned, and scraped up some more of the bland oatmeal.  
"How? What did I do to you, eh, lass?"

"I am hoping there is no problems here, yes?" Heavy asked, frowning as he stepped into the scene with his arms crossed.  
Pyro looked up at him, and back to Demo. “ ‘s not what you did, ‘s what you didn’t do, and that’s take responsibility for this.” She patted her stomach, and held her hand out for Heavy to help her up.

Demoman glared into the fire, knowing he'd be spending a lot more lonely nights from now on.

Heavy led her away. He stroked her face, looking deeply into her eyes. "I do not know what Demoman says to you, but did not like how you were looking. You are okay now?"  
“Yeah. ‘m fine.” She pouted, and hugged him, still saddened by the conversation. “You really wanna be my baby’s daddy?”

"Absolutely. Demoman says he will be or that I will not?"  
“No. Just wanted to be sure.” She smiled, and leaned up to peck him on the lips, sweetly.

Heavy held her close, his large hands as gentle as down feathers.  
"You are beautiful woman, and deserve to have strong man to protect you and baby and help you with child.”

She smiled at him. “You’re so sweet. Really you are.” She kissed him again, and took his larger hand in her own. “Come on. We should make this official.” She said, leading him off towards another room, away from the others.  
"Official?" The man looked confused. "We go to get married?"

“Not quite.” She smiled at him coyly, and gave him a little wink.  
"Oh..." The man blushed and smiled dumbly.

Pyro grinned, and shut the door behind them.

**( ** _ **To Be Continued...?** _ ** )**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that... Very sadly, is where this story ends. I think it went on for a few more days after this last installment, but not for very long, and no records that I know of have survived of those. While there is a slight chance that I MIGHT decide to continue this as the sole author, there are absolutely no guarantees. With this out of the way, I plan on going back to my "real" fanfic, "Breaking Point", and probably chasing other projects in other fandoms. This isn't even #5 on my to-do list. 
> 
> I'm really sorry about that because it looks like it's gotten its fans near the end. I might think of writing everything I had planned later on so at least people can get some semblance of closure, but even that isn't guaranteed. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the ride anyway, and I want to thank everyone for spending some time with this old dinosaur of an RP. It had its ups and downs and parts that I really would like to change if I was the main one in control, but it is what it is, and even in its current state, I'll be very sad to see it go. I'm glad that it'll be archived here, where it can be a fun little distraction for people while we're dealing with our own shitshow. 
> 
> Til next time. I'm on to bigger and better things, now.  
\-- Scoutchen


End file.
